Why do some men imagine…

There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus (Galatians 3:28; NIV).

Love your neighbour as yourself (James 2:8; NLT).

Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first among you must become your slave (Matthew 20:26-7; NLT).

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Why do some men
Imagine they’re superior
To women, Lord?

They clearly need
To feel that way,
But why?

Why do some pink-skinned folk
Imagine they’re superior
To black-skinned folk?

They clearly need
To feel that way,
But why?

Why can’t we all
Love others
As ourselves, dear Lord,

Putting them first,
And ourselves last –
Like you?

No matter what befalls us

God is light (1 John 1:5; NIV).

God [is] the source of all my joy (Psalm 43:4; NLT).

The Lord is peace (Judges 6:24; NIV).

God is love (1 John 4:8; NLT).

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Lord,

No matter
What befalls us,

May we live
In your light,

Share
In your joy,

Rest
In your peace,

And dwell
In your love –

For evermore.

Today

You are close beside me (Psalm 23:4; NLT).

Pray continually (1 Thessalonians 5:17; NIV).

Their eyes were opened, and they recognised him (Luke 24:31; NLT).

There is a spirit within people, the breath of the Almighty within them (Job 32:8; NLT).

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Lord,
Please help me
To know your presence,
To pray constantly,
And to recognise you
In all I meet today.

As I journey

Be silent before the Sovereign Lord (Zephaniah 1:7; NIV).

Whoever is united with the Lord is one with him in spirit (1 Corinthians 6:17; NIV).

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Lord,
As I journey into contemplation
I travel through my outward self,
Traverse my shadow,
Then leave selfhood far behind,
Uniting with you,
In timeless, wordless bliss.

Our relationship with you

You will find joy in your relationship to the Lord (Isaiah 58:14; NET).

God is light (1 John 1:5; NIV).

The Spirit is truth (1 John 5:6; NKJV).

The Lord is peace (Judges 6:24; NIV).

God is love (1 John 4:16; NIV).

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Lord,

As our relationship with you
Grows stronger,

You intensify
Your light,

Reveal more
Of your truth,

Flood us
With your peace,

And fill us to overflowing
With your love.

May I cast your light

God is light (1 John 1:5; NIV).

The Spirit is truth (1 John 5:6; NKJV).

The Lord is peace (Judges 6:24; NIV).

God is love (1 John 4:16; NIV)

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Lord,
May I cast your light,
Speak your truth,
Sow your peace,
And spread your love –
No matter where,
And how,
I am.

May we be one

I pray that they will all be one, just as you and I are one – as you are in me, Father, and I am in you (John 17:21; NLT).

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Lord, may I
Be one with you.

Lord, may you
Be one with me.

No longer two,
May we be one,

Today,
And for eternity.

May others know

He hears us (1 John 5:15; NLT).

He cares about you (1 Peter 5:7; NLT).

I am the Lord who heals you (Exodus 15:26; NLT).

God loves us (Romans 5:5; NLT).

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May others know
Your listening ear,
Through the way
I hear them out.

May others know
Your gentle care,
Through the way
I offer help.

May others know
Your healing touch,
Through the way
I hold them tight.

May others know
Your love for all,
Through the way
I give my heart.

You create the light

 

Lord, you create the light,
And make the darkness.

You are the one who wounds,
And the one who heals.

You are the source of good,
And the source of trouble.

You are the one who gives,
And who takes away.

But, living and dying,
We always belong to you, Lord,

Though we can’t grasp
The mystery of your ways;

Nor can we understand
Your love and wisdom –

Yet, may we praise your name
Throughout all our days.

 

References

I create the light and make darkness. I send good times and bad times (Isaiah 45:7; NLT).

I am the one who wounds and heals (Deuteronomy 32:39; NLT).

Shall we accept good from God, and not trouble? (Job 2:10; NIV).

The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; may the name of the Lord be praised (Job 1:21; NIV).

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

“My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts,” says the Lord. “And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine” (Isaiah 55:8; NLT).

You cannot understand the activity of God, who does all things (Ecclesiastes 11:5; NLT).

The wisdom we speak of is the mystery of God (1 Corinthians 2:7; NLT).

I will constantly speak his praises (Psalm 34:1; NLT).

 

 

Inner demons

Today’s prayer is a development from yesterday’s:

Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows (John 16:33; NLT).

Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted there by the devil (Matthew 4:1; NLT).

Keep watch and pray, so that you will not give in to temptation (Matthew 26:41; NLT).

God blesses those who patiently endure testing and temptation (James 1:12; NLT).

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Even you were tempted
By your inner demons, Lord –

The all-too-human urgings
Of your shadow –

So it’s no surprise
That we are tempted too.

Please help us
To endure temptation patiently;

To watch and pray,
So we will not give in;

For then we will become
Much more like you.