Month: July 2023

My Jesus

Ruth Kirk

After a very disturbed night of migraine, medication and strange dreams, the last thing I could have hoped for yesterday was the gift of a prayer on waking. Yet here is is:

I love you, LORD (Psalm 18:1; NLT). 

I love you, Lord,
And praise you name,
For you are always
Just the same –
My origin, my life,
My aim:
My Jesus.

You love me, Lord,
I know that’s true;
You are my Way,
My Shepherd, too;
My God, the One
Who makes me new:
My Jesus.

We live as one –
The blind; the Guide;
Always together,
Side by side;
You are my Bridegroom,
I, your bride:
My Jesus.

God will rejoice over you as a bridegroom rejoices over his bride. (Isaiah 62:5; NLT).

 

We are your children

Ruth Kirk

Yesterday, when I was praying even more sleepily than usual, this prayer hit me between the eyes. Instantly, I was wide awake. There was no going back to my deliciously drowsy state, so I began to write. Within less than an hour it was finished, including a few essential references.

NB: This prayer relates back to “My Alpha, my Omega”, which can be found here: https://wp.me/p45bCr-eL2.

You guided my conception and formed me in the womb (Job 10:10; NLT).

Dawn of Conception:
We are your children.

Source of All Souls:
You give birth, life and breath.

God of Creation:
We are your people –

You are our First,
And our Last, beyond death.

I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End (Revelation 22:13; NLT).

I love you

Ruth Kirk

This prayer overtook me yesterday whilst I was praying very sleepily, straight after waking up. It virtually wrote itself, which was an amazing experience.

Father, if you are willing, please take this cup of suffering away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine (Luke 22:42; NLT).

Father,

I love you –
May your will be done.

Then, may I accept it
Like your Son.

Thank you for all you send,
Both “good” and “bad”.

In sickness, grief and pain
May I be glad,

And keep on serving.
Lord, may I grow like Christ,

Making my life
A willing sacrifice –

For this is my heart’s desire;
My only plea.

Father, I love you –
Thank you for loving me.

He loves us with unfailing love; the LORD’s faithfulness endures forever. Praise the LORD!
(Psalm 117:2; NLT).

Lord of my body

Ruth Kirk

I wrote today’s prayer soon after posting, “God in each atom”. Here is a link to that blog, in case you would like to read it as well: https://wp.me/p45bCr-c8O.

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

Lord of my body:
You’re here, in each atom.

Lord of my thinking:
You dwell in my mind.

Lord of my heart:
You share all my emotions.

Lord of my soul:
We’re forever entwined.

Everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I could gain Christ and become one with him (Philippians 3:8; NLT).

Help me

Ruth Kirk

We know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them (1 John 4:16; NIV).

Lord,
Please help me, every day,
In all I feel, think, do and say,
To live in love, rejoice, and pray
For others.

Lord,
Please help me, through the years,
To walk with you, and face my fears,
Accepting sickness, loss and tears
With courage.

Lord,
Please help me: hear my plea
To live in you, and you in me,
Then all my sinfulness will flee
Your presence.

Lord,
Please help me: give me grace
To serve you till I’ve run my race,
Then I will see you face to face
Forever.

Now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then we will see face to face (1 Corinthians 13:12; NRSV).

My Alpha, my Omega

Ruth Kirk

This prayer quickly overtook me when I began to pray yesterday morning. I didn’t even realise what was happening: the first two lines arrived together, then the whole piece slowly took shape, little by little.

The LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul (Genesis 2:7; KJV). 

The ground of my being
And source of my soul,
My Alpha, my Omega:
You are my goal.

The dawn of conception,
Of birth, and of breath,
My Alpha, my Omega:
You conquer death.

My reason for living,
My meaning, my cause,
My Alpha, my Omega:
Lord, I am yours.

The God of creation
Beyond space and time,
My Alpha, my Omega:
Lord, you are mine.

My Maker, my essence,
My spirit, my song,
My Alpha, my Omega:
Lord, we are one.

The dust returns to the ground it came from, and the spirit returns to God who gave it (Ecclesiastes 12:7; NIV).

 

Father within

Ruth Kirk

Yesterday was very demanding indeed, so here is a short, simple prayer I would like to share with you today:

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

Father within:
You’re making me new.

Jesus within:
You’re healing me, too.

Spirit within:
You’re helping me through.

Three-Personned God:
I celebrate you!

Sing to God! Sing praises to his name. Exalt him who rides on the clouds ​ – his name is the LORD ​ – and celebrate before him (Psalm 68:4; CSB).

God is Spirit

Ruth Kirk

When I was praying yesterday morning, I saw the simultaneous Threeness and Oneness of God, all happening continually and eternally in a never-ending moment of nowness. However, I found this pretty well impossible to put into words, so today’s blog is sadly just a pale glimpse of what I was given. I did my best.

God is Spirit (John 4:24; NLT).

The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being (Hebrews 1:3; NIV).

Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father! (John 14:9; NLT).

God is Spirit – this we know,
And Jesus is God’s human face.

The Holy Spirit is their soul,
Uniting them in love and grace.

For God is Three, and God is One:
Our Origin, our life, our end;

Our Elohim, our Guide, our Judge;
Our Saviour, Advocate, and Friend.

The LORD would speak to Moses face to face, as one speaks to a friend (Exodus 33:11; NLT).

Note: Elohim means: Supreme Mighty One.

 

We’re one

Ruth Kirk

Despite, or perhaps because of, my ongoing migraine, I was blessed with this prayer yesterday morning:

I love you, LORD (Psalm 18:1; NLT). 

I love you, and you love me:
We’re one for all eternity
Because you’ve cleansed, and made me whole:
One flesh, one mind, one heart, one soul.

You live in me, and I in you:
We’re one in joy that’s always new
Because you’ve ransomed me from death,
And filled me with your sacred breath.

I am yours, and you are mine:
We’re one beyond all space and time:
For you are here, and never cease
To keep me in your perfect peace. 

You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you! (Isaiah 26:3; NLT).

 

Your willing slave

Ruth Kirk

This prayer began to come to me while I was weeping just after Mass last Wednesday. I haven’t been able to go to church for a very long time, but I now have a powered wheelchair, so can start to go again, when I’m well enough. Being there was an overwhelming experience, hence my tears. Astonishingly, it took about 24 hours for this prayer to arrive fully.

I love you, LORD (Psalm 18:1; NLT). 

I love you more and more, my God, 
But serve you less and less,
And yet, I know you understand
My weakness and distress:

For I am still your willing slave,
Despite my sin and shame –
Lord, as you take my liberty,
I bless your Holy Name.

I serve you less and less, my God,
But love you more and more,
And, though you take my health away,
You make my spirit soar:

For I am still your willing slave,
Trying to do my best –
Lord, as you take my life away,
Help me to face each test.

The LORD is my strength and shield. I trust him with all my heart. He helps me, and my heart is filled with joy. I burst out in songs of thanksgiving (Psalm 28:7; NLT).