You are the temple of the living God (2 Corinthians 6:16; NLT).
The kingdom of God is within you (Luke 17:21; NKJV).
Keep on seeking, and you will find (Matthew 7:7; NLT).
The Lord must wait for you to come to him so he can show you his love (Isaiah 30:18; NLT).
Lord,
You don’t come to me –
I come to you,
For you live in my soul –
Indeed, you are my soul,
Dwelling within me
All my life,
And waiting for me
To seek you out
In contemplation.
God is light (1 John 1:5; NIV).
God is a consuming fire (Deuteronomy 4:24; NIV).
God is love (1 John 4:16; NIV).
The Lord is peace (Judges 6:24; NLT).
Lord,
During contemplation,
May your light
Illuminate my mind;
Your fire
Refine my heart;
Your love
Restore my soul;
And your peace
Enfold my whole being.
You are my Father, my God (Psalm 89:26; NLT).
As a mother comforts her child, so will I comfort you (Isaiah 66:13; NIV).
Whoever does God’s will is my brother and sister (Mark 3:35; NIV).
God is love (1 John 4:16; NIV).
God,
My Father,
Earth,
My mother,
Love,
My sister,
Christ,
My brother,
Holy Spirit,
Husband, wife,
All,
My children,
This,
My life.
Put on your new nature, created to be like God (Ephesians 4:24; NLT).
Imitate God, therefore, in everything you do (Ephesians 5:1; NLT).
God is love (1 John 4:16; NLT).
The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love (Galatians 5:6; NIV).
Lord,
I want to be like you –
So, may your Holy Sprit
Help me to love everyone
Without exception,
Just as you do yourself:
For the only thing that counts
Is faith
Expressing itself
Through love.
The Lord God planted a garden in Eden (Genesis 2:8; NLT).
Keep on seeking, and you will find (Matthew 7:7; NLT).
The dust returns to the ground it came from, and the spirit returns to God who gave it (Ecclesiastes 12:7; NIV).
Lord,
We are exiled
From Eden
At birth,
To spend a lifetime
Seeking you
On mother earth,
Till we return,
To reunite with you
In death.
I have wandered away like a lost sheep (Psalm 119:176; NLT).
You are close beside me (Psalm 23:4; NLT).
Be sure of this: I am with you always (Matthew 28:20; NLT).
Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me (Psalm 23:4; KJV).
Lord,
It’s better
To be lost
With you,
Than to think
I know the way
All on my own!
The kingdom of God is within you (Luke 17:21; KJV).
All who live in love live in God, and God lives in them (1 John 4:16; NLT).
You are close beside me (Psalm 23:4; NLT).
In him we live, and move, and have our being (Acts 17:28; KJV).
Lord,
You are within me,
And beside me,
And around me,
For in you
I live and move,
And have my being.
Come to me all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest (Matthew 11:28-30; NLT).
You can enter God’s Kingdom only through the narrow gate (Matthew 7:13; NLT).
The kingdom of God is within you (Luke 17:21; NKJV).
My flesh is real food and my blood is real drink (John 6:55; NIV).
He restores my soul (Psalm 23:3; NKJV).
Remain in me, and I will remain in you (John 15:4; NLT).
Wherever you go and whatever you do, you will be blessed (Deuteronomy 28:6; NLT).
Friend,
Here’s a place
To break our weary journey –
Let’s leave our burdens at the gate,
So we can rest.
This narrow path
Will take us to the garden,
Where food and drink
Is brought to every guest.
When our souls have been restored,
And we are are ready,
We’ll continue on our way,
Just as before,
But no matter where we go,
Or what we’re doing,
We will remain in God –
For evermore.
When you were young, you were able to do as you liked; you dressed yourself and went wherever you wanted to go. But when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and others will dress you and take you where you don’t want to go (John 21:18; NLT).
Lord
Having to be dependent
Is a challenge,
Yet independence
Is no more than self-deception –
An illusion we indulge
When all is well!
Keep on seeking, and you will find (Matthew 7:7; NLT).
Lord,
In life, in death,
And contemplation,
Please help us
As we keep on seeking you:
Draw us ever deeper
Into silence,
And flood us
With your overwhelming light;
Refine us
With your mighty, raging fire,
And share with us
Your perfect love and peace.
Amen.