Relax

Ruth Kirk

Given early this morning:

He takes me to lush pastures, he leads me to refreshing water (Psalm 23:2; NET).

Relax in God’s company,
Walk in Christ’s presence,
Dance with their Spirit,
And live in their light.

Rejoice in God’s majesty,
Eat at Christ’s table,
Drink with their Spirit,
And rest in their sight.

Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls (Matthew 11:29; KJV).

And he said, My presence shall go with thee, and I will give thee rest (Exodus 33:1; KJV).

References

He will redeem their life from oppression and violence; and precious shall be their blood in His sight (Psalm 72:1; NKJ).

Surely your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me all the days of my life, and I will live in the house of the LORD forever (Psalm 23:6; NLT).

A Gethsemane prayer (for M.)

Ruth Kirk

This prayer came to me last night, as a result of the teaching during Sunday’s service at my wonderful new church. After much thought, I have stayed with how Jesus addressed God in the Garden of Gethsemane:

My soul is crushed with grief to the point of death (Matthew 26:38; NLT).

Abba,
Use my grieving mind
To love and serve all humankind.

Use my broken heart each day
So others will embrace your way.

Abba,
Use my wounded soul
To help make those who suffer whole.

Use my stricken, dying flesh
So many start their lives afresh.

Abba,
Use my ruined life
To be a willing sacrifice.

Use my dread, my pain, my cross –
Rebuilding us through hurt and loss.

Any of you who are his people may go to Jerusalem in Judah to rebuild this Temple of the LORD, the God of Israel (Ezra 1:3; NLT).

In that day I will restore the fallen house of David. I will repair its damaged walls. From the ruins I will rebuild it and restore its former glory (Amos 9:11; NLT).

References

Jesus answered and said to them, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up” (John 2:19; NKJV).

Then Jesus left them a second time and prayed, “My Father! If this cup cannot be taken away unless I drink it, your will be done” (Matthew 26:42; NLT).

In your arms

Ruth Kirk

This prayer came into my heart as soon as I began to pray before settling down to sleep last night:

Lead them like a shepherd, and carry them in your arms forever (Psalm 28:9; NLT).

You wrap me in your arms, Lord,
And you bring me hope each day.

Your Spirit, Lord, revives my heart
When I feel tired and grey.

♥️

You hold me in your arms, Lord,
And you share my pain each day.

Your Spirit, Lord, restores my soul
When I can’t praise or pray.

♥️

You keep me in your arms, Lord,
And you comfort me each day.

Your Spirit, Lord, renews me –
For you love me, come what may.

He renews my strength (Psalm 23:3; NLT). 

How precious is your unfailing love , O God! All humanity finds shelter in the shadow of your wings (Psalm 36:7; NLT).

Look for Jesus (for M.)

Ruth Kirk

You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart (Jeremiah 29:13; NIV).

♥️ Look for Jesus
All around you,
Close beside you,
And within.

He will guide you,
Teach, and strengthen,
As you serve
And follow him.

♥️ Look for Christ
In all you meet,
And listen well
To what they say.

He may speak to you
Through others,
As you walk his path
Each day.

References

Christ is all that matters, and he lives in all of us (Colossians 3:11; NLT).

Then he said to the crowd, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross daily, and follow me” (Luke 9:23; NLT).

Worship (for F.)

Ruth Kirk

Clouds and thick darkness surround him (Psalm 97:2; NIV).

Moses went into the darkness where God was (Exodus 20:21; BST).

❤️

Worship in darkness,
And worship in pain;

Worship in loneliness;
Worship in grief.

Worship in anguish,
And worship in fear;

Worship in sorrow –
For Jesus is here.

❤️

Worship in hunger,
And worship in thirst;

Worship in suffering;
Worship in dread.

Worship in sickness,
And worship in loss;

Worship in dying –
With Christ, on the cross.

❤️

Since we are his children, we are his heirs. In fact, together with Christ we are heirs of God’s glory. But if we are to share his glory, we must also share his suffering (Romans 8:17; NLT).

I will sing praises to my God with my dying breath (Psalm 146:2; NLT).

References

I kept my faith, even when I said, “I am greatly afflicted” (Psalm 116:10; RSV).

When times are good, be happy; but when times are bad, consider this: God has made the one as well as the other (Ecclesiastes 7:14; NIV).

A wise person thinks a lot about death (Ecclesiastes 7:4; NLT).

Whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord (Romans 14:8; NIV).

Our pearl beyond price

Ruth Kirk

In the light of today’s blog, I have updated and re-posted a piece given to me in 2017:

You’re our pearl
Beyond price;

You’re our way, truth,
And life;

You’re our Saviour,
Our Christ –

Lord, alone,
You suffice.

This is a prayer written by St. Teresa of Ávila, Nada te turbe (“Let nothing disturb thee”), translated by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. I recommend learning it by heart and using it every day!

Let nothing disturb thee;
Nothing affright thee.
All things are passing;
God never changeth.
Patient endurance attaineth to all things.
Who God possesseth in nothing is wanting.
Alone, God sufficeth.

References

“My Lord and my God!” Thomas exclaimed (John 20:28; NLT).

The kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking out for fine pearls. When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it! (Matthew 13:45-6; NIV).

Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life” (John 14:6; NLT).

I am the Lord, and there is no other Saviour (Isaiah 43:11; NLT).

Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has become a child of God (1 John 5:1; NLT).

My grace is sufficient for you (2 Corinthians 12:19; NIV).

Our pearl beyond price

Ruth Kirk

 

In the light of today’s blog, I have updated a piece given to me in 2017:

You’re our pearl
Beyond price;

You’re our way, truth,
And life;

You’re our Saviour,
Our Christ –

Lord, alone,
You suffice.

This is a prayer written by St. Teresa of Ávila, Nada te turbe (“Let nothing disturb thee”), translated by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. I recommend learning it by heart and using it every day!

Let nothing disturb thee, nothing affright thee; all things are passing, God never changeth. Patient endurance attaineth to all things; who God possesseth in nothing is wanting; alone, God sufficeth.

References

“My Lord and my God!” Thomas exclaimed (John 20:28; NLT).

The kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking out for fine pearls. When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it! (Matthew 13:45-6; NIV).

Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life” (John 14:6; NLT).

I am the Lord, and there is no other Saviour (Isaiah 43:11; NLT).

Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has become a child of God (1 John 5:1; NLT).

My grace is sufficient for you (2 Corinthians 12:19; NIV).

 

Forgiving my mother

Ruth Kirk

Introduction
Hello, everyone. I am back home from several days in hospital with a spinal fracture, lots of soft tissue damage, lots of pain, and increased disability.

Home Communion
Two days ago my church minister came to visit me with Communion, for which I was deeply grateful.

A sense of forgiveness
However, the experience turned out to be much more significant than I could possibly have hoped. When we said the Lord’s Prayer together, I experienced a profound sense of genuinely forgiving my poor mother for all her emotional abuse, and for all the damage she did to me during her lifetime.

Stumbling block
It’s always been a major stumbling block to me that she never acknowledged what she had done, never recognised its consequences for my mental health, and never said she was sorry. Throughout my life, I have been unable to see how to get through, and over this.

Letting go and moving forwards
But when we said Christ’s prayer, I really did feel that I was forgiving her, that I could start to let the past go, and begin to move forward at last. This is an inestimable gift of healing: a pearl without price I have searched for throughout my life.

God heals
God spoke to me that day through those familiar words, which just shows that miracles can still happen, especially when we least expect them!

I am the LORD who heals you (Exodus 15:26 NKJV).

He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds (Psalm 147:3; NIV).

References

Forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who sin against us (Luke 11:4; NLT).

The kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls. When he found one priceless pearl, he went and sold everything he had and bought it (Matthew 13:46; CSB).

Oh my Father…

Ruth Kirk

Written in the middle of the night, as used to happen to me so often, and sent out with love.

You are my Father, my God, and the Rock of my salvation (Psalm 89:26; NLT).

Pointing to the disciples, Jesus said, “This is my family. Whoever does the will of Abba God in heaven is my sister and brother and mother” (Matthew 12:49-50; TIB). 

O my Father,
And my Mother;
O my Sister,
And my Brother;
O my Shepherd,
And my Lover –
You are God:
There is no other.

O my partner,
Friend, and neighbour;
Present, Lord,
In every stranger,
Foreigner and foe;
In danger –
You are here:
My All, my Saviour.

The Son himself will be made subject to him who put everything under him, so that God may be all in all (1 Corinthians 15:28; NIV). 

And Mary said, “My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour” (Luke 1:46-7; NIV).