God is light, and there is no darkness in him at all (1 John 1:5; NLT).
Clouds and thick darkness surround him (Psalm 97:2; NIV).
Moses approached the thick darkness where God was (Exodus 20:21; NLY).
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Lord,
You are light,
And in you there is no darkness
At all.
Yet you surround yourself
With deepest darkness,
Where we can meet you safely
Every day.
He found them in a desert land, in an empty, howling wasteland (Deuteronomy 32:10; NLT).
He has known your walking through this great wilderness: these forty years the Lord your God has been with you (Deuteronomy 2:7; HNV).
In all their suffering he also suffered (Isaiah 63:9; NLT).
The Lord is close to all who call on him (Psalm 145:18; NLT).
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The way to God
Lies through our howling wastelands,
Through suffering and failure,
Pain and fear;
Through brokenness, and grief,
And sharp temptation,
For when we’re in our desert
He is near.
Love around me
And within;
All forgiven,
Free from sin;
Perfect healing
Of my soul –
Lord, once more,
You make me whole.
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Unfailing love surrounds those who trust in the Lord (Psalm 32:10; NLT).
There is one Lord […] who is over all and in all and living through all (Ephesians 4:5-6; NLT).
He forgives all my sins (Psalm 103:3; NLT).
He gave his life to free us from every kind of sin ((Titus 2:14; NLT).
Heal my soul for I have sinned against you (Psalm 41:4; NKJV).
Is anything worth more than your soul? (Mark 8:36; NLT; alternative translation).
He restores my soul (Psalm 23:3; NKJV).
He was beaten so we could be whole (Isaiah 53:5; NLT).
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At times you give me joy, Lord –
A taste of paradise.
At times you give me suffering –
A taste of sacrifice.
But, good or bad, I thank you,
However life may go,
For when my faith is tested
I have a chance to grow.
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God gives […] joy to those who please him (Ecclesiastes 2:26; NLT).
Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows (John 16:33; NLT).
Give thanks in all circumstances (1 Thessalonians 5:18; NIV).
Fortitude means fixity of purpose, endurance, having the strength to live with what constrains you (Luke 1:38; NKJV).
When your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow (James 1:3; NLT).
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Then the soldiers nailed him to the cross (Mark 15:24; NLT).
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Blood within;
And blood without.
Love within;
And love without.
Light within;
And light without.
Hope within;
And hope without.
God within;
And God without.
Breath within;
And breath without.
Life within;
And life without.
Death within;
And death without.
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Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they don’t know what they are doing” (Luke 23:34; NLT).
At noon, darkness fell across the whole land until three o’clock (Mark 15:33; NLT).
My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? (Mark 15:34; NLT).
Then Jesus shouted, “Father, I entrust my spirit into your hands!” And with those words he breathed his last (Luke 23:46; NLT).
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Seek God
In your wilderness;
Bless him
In your fear.
Thank him
In your suffering;
Praise him,
He is near.
Find God
In your desert;
Love him
In your heart.
Serve him
In your ruins;
Worship
In the dark.
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Keep on seeking and you will find (Luke 11:9; NLT).
Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness (Matthew 4:1; NLT).
Give thanks in all circumstances (1 Thessalonians 5:18; NIV).
Surely the Lord is in this place, and I wasn’t even aware of it! (Genesis 28:16; NLT).
You must love the Lord your God with all your heart (Luke 10:27; NLT).
I am like an eagle owl, like little owl among the ruins (Psalm 102:6; CSB).
Clouds and thick darkness surround him (Psalm 97:2; NIV).
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You are our heart’s desire,
And our reward;
The Son of Man,
Whose life has been outpoured;
The Christ who dwells within;
Who is adored;
The anchor of our souls –
Our living Lord.
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Our heart’s desire is to glorify your name (Isaiah 26:2; NLT).
I will trust God for my reward (Isaiah 49:4; NLT).
The Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many (Matthew 20:28; NLT).
It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me (Galatians 2:20; NLT).
I love you, Lord (Psalm 18:1; NLT).
This hope is a strong and trustworthy anchor for our souls (Hebrews 6:19; NLT).
Christ is the living cornerstone of God’s temple (1 Peter 2:4; NLT).
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Love without
And love within,
Free from fear,
And free from sin;
One with you
Who gave me birth –
This, your kingdom,
Here on earth.
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Perfect love casts out fear (1 John 4:18; NKJV).
He gave his life to free us from from every kind of sin (Titus 2:14; NLT).
Whoever is united with the Lord is one with him in spirit (1 Corinthians 6:17; NIV).
You created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb (Psalm 139:13; NIV).
The Kingdom of God is already among you (Luke 17:21; NLT).
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The kingdom of God is within you (Luke 17:21; NKJV).
See to it, then, that the light within you is not darkness (Luke 11:35; NLT).
You are the temple of the living God (2 Corinthians 6:16; NLT).
Those who drink the water I give will never be thirsty again. It becomes a fresh, bubbling spring within them, giving them eternal life (John 4:14; NLT).
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Hidden in myself –
Your heavenly kingdom.
Hidden in myself –
Your glorious light.
Hidden in myself –
Your sacred temple.
Hidden in myself –
Eternal life.
Christ is the visible image of the invisible God (Colossians 1:15; NLT).
He forgives all my sins and heals all my diseases (Psalm 103:3; NLT).
God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life (John 3:16; NLT).
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Lord,
You reveal yourself
Through your dear Son,
Through everything he’s said
And done,
Through everyone he healed,
Forgave,
For you sent him to love,
And save.