Month: April 2014

Hello to each reader. This blog, written yesterday, has been incredibly difficult to put into words, and i don’t think it is finished yet. However, I still wanted to share it with you at this early stage, so see why you think.

Life 

Mortals, born of woman, are of few days and full of trouble (Job 14:1; NIV).

“You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you,” declares the LORD (Jeremiah 29:13-14; NIV).

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose (Romans 8:28; NIV).

For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known (1 Corinthians 13:12; NIV).

Friends,
Lay all your cares aside
For a while,
And turn to God,
The great Creator
Of the universe.

He never said our lives would be easy,
For we are here
To learn from every experience,
To search for him
In everyone we meet,
And to serve him
By helping one another
As best we can;

But he has promised
That if we seek him 
With all our heart,
We will find him,
And even see him
Face to face, at last  –
Beyond our death.

Acceptance 

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose (Romans 8:28; NIV).

Father,
I belong to you,
And my life
Is in your hands.

Everything
That happens to me
Is just as you intend,
And for my long-term good,
For you always know
What I need to learn next.

Please help me
To serve you
Exactly as you desire.

In Jesus’ name,
Amen.

Emotional healing

Praise the LORD, my soul, and forget not all his benefits – who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion (Psalm 103:2-3; NIV).

Aha!
At last, I understand!

Emotional healing
Is not an event –
It’s a long-term process
Of personal learning
And inner growth.

Thanks to you, Lord,
Each step forward
Comes at the right time,
And in the right order –
Just when I’m ready for it.

Thus, stage by stage,
You redeem my life
From the pit,
Crowning me with love
And compassion.

Lord, how astonishing you are!
Thank you for helping me
Every step of the way
On my lifelong journey
Towards emotional healing.

Self-worth 

‘Love your neighbour as yourself’ (Luke 10:27; NIV).

I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh (Ezekiel 36:26; NIV).

Father,
All my life
I’ve had a heart of stone
Towards myself –
Zero self-worth.

No wonder I’ve been
So anxious, depressed and unwell!
No wonder I never wanted
To be alive!

Thank you for showing me
That healthy, balanced self-esteem
Means loving myself unconditionally –
Warts and all.

It means consciously taking care of myself,
Supporting, encouraging
And helping myself,
Every single day.

Only when all this
Is firmly in place
Can I truly love others
As myself.

Lord,
Please take away my heart of stone.
Give me a heart of flesh,
And a new spirit of love
For both myself and others.

I ask this in Jesus’ holy name,
Amen.

Contemplation 

Father,
Please help me
To put each burden,
Distraction
And sin
Behind me,
As I seek you
In contemplation.

Help me to reach out to you
In the darkness,
And to grasp your guiding hand.

Please forgive my sins,
My foolishness,
My ignorance
And my inadequacy.

Allow me to draw near you,
For the sake of your Son,
Who died for me,
Amen.

Listening 

Now choose life, so that you and your children may live and that you may love the LORD your God, listen to his voice, and hold fast to him (Deuteronomy 30:19-20; NIV).

The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out (John 10:3; NIV).

Father,
I focus my mind,
My heart
And my soul
On you alone.

Here I am,
Listening in the darkness,
Longing to hear your voice.

Please speak to me –
Show me your will,
And give me the strength
To carry it out.

I ask this in Jesus’ holy name,
Amen.

Thank you

Father God,
I love you.

I need you,
And rely on you.

I can’t live
Without you.

You sustain my life,
And give meaning to it.

Thank you so much
For loving me.

In Jesus’ name,
Amen.

Pray continually

Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18; NIV).

And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests
(Ephesians:18; NIV).

Father,
Please help me
To lift up my heart to you
All day long,
Practicing your presence,
Following your Son,
And praying continually
In the Spirit.

I ask this in Jesus’ name,
Amen.

Peace

Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ (Romans 5:1; NIV).

And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:7; NIV).

If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone (Romans 12.18; NIV).

Father,
It’s good to be
At peace with you.

Please help me
To be at peace
With others,
And even with myself,
As well.

In Jesus name,
Amen.

Only human 

Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for whoever loves others has fulfilled the law (Romans 13:8; NIV).

So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets (Matthew 7:12; NIV).

The King will reply, ‘Truly, I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me’ (Matthew 25:40; NIV).

He will reply, ‘Truly, I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me’ (Matthew 25:45; NIV).

Father,
We are only human.

We are fragile and vulnerable,
Easily damaged
In body, mind and soul.

     Lord, heal us.

Father,
We are only human.

We damage others, too,
By accident,
By not caring,
And even by design.

     Lord, forgive us.

Father,
We are only human.

Help us to start our lives afresh
By offering love
To everyone we meet,
And serving Christ in them.

     Lord, restore us.

We ask this in His precious name,
Amen.