Month: March 2024

Easter Day

Ruth Kirk

They will mock him, spit on him, flog him with a whip, and kill him, but after three days he will rise again (Mark 10:34; NLT). 

Look at my hands. Look at my feet. You can see that it’s really me. Touch me and make sure that I am not a ghost, because ghosts don’t have bodies, as you see that I do. As he spoke, he showed them his hands and his feet… They gave him a piece of broiled fish, and he ate it as they watched (Luke 24:39-43; NLT). 

Lord,

Easter is when you
Are born again,

Free from all your anguish,
Dread, and pain;

Free to help
Your followers anew:

Jesus, may we love and serve,
Like you.

The Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many (Mark 10:45; NLT). 

As we live in God, our love grows more perfect. So we will not be afraid on the day of judgment, but we can face him with confidence because we live like Jesus here in this world (1 John 4:17; NLT).

References

I tell you the truth, unless you are born again, you cannot see the Kingdom of God (John 3:3; NLT).

You exposed yourself to death itself, and allowed yourself to be counted among criminals, while you bore the guilt of many and interceded for sinners (Isaiah 53:12; TIB).

The Lord is the Spirit, and wherever the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom (2 Corinthians 3:17; NLT). 

I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever (John 14:16; ESV). 

It is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you (John 16:7; ESV). 

The Lord – who is the Spirit – makes us more and more like him as we are changed into his glorious image (2 Corinthians 3:18; NLT).

 

Easter Saturday

Ruth Kirk

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).

Let’s clear our minds
Of everything but Christ,

And rid our hearts
Of everything but love.

Let’s purge our souls
Of everything but faith.

And cleanse our lives
Of everything but good.

Dear friends, let us cleanse ourselves from everything that can defile our body or spirit. And let us work toward complete holiness because we fear God (2 Corinthians 7:1; NLT).

References 

My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you (John 15:12; NLT). 

Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends (John 15:13; NIV). 

Then Jesus said to the disciples, “Have faith in God” (Mark 11:22; NLT). 

A tree is identified by its fruit. If a tree is good, its fruit will be good. If a tree is bad, its fruit will be bad (Matthew 12:33; NLT). 

Every tree that does not produce good fruit will be chopped down and thrown into the fire (Matthew 3:10; NLT).

A good person produces good things from the treasury of a good heart, and an evil person produces evil things from the treasury of an evil heart (Matthew 12:35; NLT).

 

Good Friday

Ruth Kirk

Today’s blog has completely overwhelmed me this morning, and is specifically for Good Friday, so I am posting it earlier than usual.

God says this to the evildoer: “How can you declare my commands, and talk about my covenant? For you hate instruction and reject my words” (Psalm 50:16-17; NET). 

We have sinned, done evil, and acted wickedly (1 Kings 8:47; NIV). 

All of us, like sheep, have strayed away. We have left God’s paths to follow our own. Yet the LORD laid on him the sins of us all (Isaiah 53:6; NLT). 

Lord,

We go to church, and read our Bibles.
We say our prayers, and give to charity.

Yet still we judge and hurt so many people;
We think, and say, and do, some dreadful things.

We haven’t even tried to grasp your teaching:
We’re far away from growing more like you.

We’re sorry for our sins, and for our sinfulness.
Forgive us; help us all to start again.

Lord, may we become like little children,
Who learn from all you say, and all you do –

Help us to grow more like you every day, Lord,
By loving you in all along our way.

Anyone who does not love does not know God, for God is love (1 John 4:8; NLT).

May the Lord make your love increase and overflow for each other and for everyone else (1 Thessalonians 3:12; NIV).

References 

Let no one have any evil thought in his heart against his neighbour… for all these things are hated by me, says the Lord (Zechariah 8:17; BBE). 

Speak the truth in love, growing in every way more and more like Christ (Ephesians 4:15; NLT).

Do everything with love (1 Corinthians 16:14; NLT). 

The most important commandment is this: ‘Listen, O Israel! The LORD our God is the one and only LORD. You must love the LORD your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength. The second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself’.’ No other commandment is greater than these (Mark 12:29-31; NLT).

Love the stranger (Deuteronomy 10:19; NKJV).

Show love to foreigners (Deuteronomy 10:19; NLT).

Love your enemies (Matthew 5:44; NLT). 

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).

 

Maundy Thursday

Ruth Kirk

In every social situation, it’s helpful to ask ourselves how Jesus would have handled it…

When the teachers of religious law who were Pharisees saw him eating with tax collectors and other sinners, they asked his disciples, “Why does he eat with such scum?” (Mark 2:16; NLT).

Jesus told a story to some people who thought they were better than others and who looked down on everyone else (Luke 18:9; CEV).

Jesus, at this gathering,
Who would you have sat beside?
Also, as you talked and laughed, Lord,
Who would you have hugged?

Jesus, at this gathering,
Who would you have tried to side-step?
Also, as you broke the bread, Lord,
Who would you have judged?

Jesus, at this gathering,
Who would you have listened to?
Also, as you blessed the wine, Lord,
Who would you have loved?

Jesus, at this gathering,
Who would you have found too needy?
Also, as you washed their feet, Lord,
Who would you have snubbed?

He will not crush the weakest reed or put out a flickering candle (Isaiah 42:3; NLT).

So he got up from the table, took off his robe, wrapped a towel around his waist, and poured water into a basin. Then he began to wash the disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel he had around him (John 13:4; NLT). 

References

He took a little child whom he placed among them. Taking the child in his arms, he said to them, “Whoever welcomes one of these little children in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me does not welcome me but the one who sent me” (Mark 9:36-7; NIV).

One of the Pharisees asked Jesus to have dinner with him, so Jesus went to his home and sat down to eat. When a certain immoral woman from that city heard he was eating there, she brought a beautiful alabaster jar filled with expensive perfume. Then she knelt behind him at his feet, weeping. Her tears fell on his feet, and she wiped them off with her hair. Then she kept kissing his feet and putting perfume on them. When the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, he would know what kind of woman is touching him. She’s a sinner!”… Then he [Jesus] turned to the woman and said to Simon, “Look at this woman kneeling here. When I entered your home, you didn’t offer me water to wash the dust from my feet, but she has washed them with her tears and wiped them with her hair. You didn’t greet me with a kiss, but from the time I first came in, she has not stopped kissing my feet. You neglected the courtesy of olive oil to anoint my head, but she has anointed my feet with rare perfume. I tell you, her sins – and they are many – have been forgiven, so she has shown me much love. But a person who is forgiven little shows only little love. Then Jesus said to the woman, “Your sins are forgiven” (see Luke 7:36-48, NLT).

Jesus explained his meaning: “I tell you the truth, corrupt tax collectors and prostitutes will get into the Kingdom of God before you do” (Matthew 21:31; NLT).

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).

 

Migraine: with thanks to K.B.

Ruth Kirk

Today I was hoping to go to Mass, but instead I have a migraine.

So I wouldn’t get a big head, I was given the gift of a handicap to keep me in constant touch with my limitations (2 Corinthians 12:7; TM).  

Migraine is my Mass today,
And codeine is my bread.
All my hopes and plans are gone:
A quiet day, instead.

Migraine is my liturgy,
And water is my wine;
So, Lord, I accept this cross
As a part of your design.

Migraine is my service,
And I know it’s not in vain,
Because I can embrace this chance
To plead for those in pain.

Migraine is my crown of thorns;
It gives me time to pray.
Thank you, Lord, that I can share
Your suffering today. 

Since we are his children, we are his heirs. In fact, together with Christ we are heirs of God’s glory. But if we are to share his glory, we must also share his suffering (Romans 8:17; NLT).

References 

Then he said to the crowd, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross daily, and follow me” (Luke 9:23; NLT). 

May your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven (Matthew 6:10; NLT).

My Father! If this cup cannot be taken away unless I drink it, your will be done (Matthew 26:42; NLT). 

The soldiers wove a crown of thorns and put it on his head (John 19:2; NLT). 

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).

I am glad when I suffer for you in my body, for I am participating in the sufferings of Christ that continue for his body, the church (Colossians 1:24; NLT).

 

Justice and peace

Ruth Kirk

Will those who do evil never learn? They eat up my people like bread and wouldn’t think of praying to the LORD (Psalm 14:4; NLT). 

The way of peace they do not know; there is no justice in their paths (Isaiah 58:8; NIV). 

We pray for an end
To corruption and greed,

That mercy will flow, Lord,
For all those in need;

That justice will triumph
For those who are poor,

And for the cessation
Of hatred and war.

Oh, that you had listened to my commands! Then you would have had peace flowing like a gentle river and righteousness rolling over you like waves in the sea (Isaiah 48:18; NLT).

Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven (Matthew 6:10; RSV).

 

Without words

Ruth Kirk

The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they reveal knowledge. They have no speech, they use no words; no sound is heard from them. Yet their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world (Psalm 19:1-4; NLT). 

Pray without words;
Praise without sound;
Sing without music:
Jesus will hear.

Trust without seeing;
Serve without end;
Love without limit:
Jesus is here.

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

Behold, I am with you every day, even unto the end of time (Matthew 28:20; ABPI).

References 

You know what I am going to say even before I say it, LORD (Psalm 139:4; NLT). 

He knows the secrets of every heart (Psalm 44:21; NLT). 

Jesus told him, “You believe because you have seen me. Blessed are those who believe without seeing me” (John 20:29; NLT). 

Don’t let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in me (John 14:1; NLT). 

I hold you by your right hand – I, the LORD your God. And I say to you, “Don’t be afraid. I am here to help you” (Isaiah 41:13; NLT). 

Jesus spoke to them at once. “Don’t be afraid,” he said. “Take courage. I am here!” (Matthew 14:27; NLT). 

Even when I walk through the darkest valley, I will not be afraid, for you are close beside me. Your rod and your staff protect and comfort me (Psalm 23:4; NLT).

 

Hidden

Ruth Kirk

He reveals deep and mysterious things and knows what lies hidden in darkness, though he is surrounded by light (Daniel 2:22; NLT). 

What lies hidden in my silence?
What lies hidden in my stillness?
What lies hidden in my darkness?
My aloneness, too?

You are hidden in my silence. 
You are hidden in my stillness.
You are hidden in my darkness.
Here, alone, Lord, I find you.

You will seek me and find me when you search for me with all your heart (Jeremiah 29:13; CSB).

Truly, you are a God who hides himself, O God of Israel, the Savior! (Isaiah 45:15; ESV).

References

Let all the earth be silent before him (Habakkuk 2:20; NLT).

Be still in the presence of the LORD, and wait patiently for him to act (Psalm 37:7; NLT).

I will give you treasures hidden in the darkness – secret riches. I will do this so you may know that I am the LORD (Isaiah 45:3; NLT). 

When you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen (Matthew 6:6; NIV).

Keep on seeking, and you will find (Luke 11:9; NLT).

Redemptive suffering

Ruth Kirk

I urge you, first of all, to pray for all people. Ask God to help them; intercede on their behalf, and give thanks for them (1 Timothy 2:1; NLT). 

May every sweat become a prompt
To pray for those with fever,

And every ache, a cue to pray
For those who suffer pain.

May every fear become a chance
To pray for those in anguish,

And every tear, a spur to pray
For those who hope in vain.

Our bones are dried up and our hope is lost (Ezekiel 37:11; AMP). 

Weep with those who weep (Romans 12:15; AMP).

 

Redemptive suffering

Ruth Kirk

This is part two of a short series on redemptive suffering, which began yesterday. If you missed the first, introductory blog, and would like to read it, here is a link: https://wp.me/p45bCr-gsV.

Unusually, today’s prayer includes a space for the names of people you would like to pray for individually, whilst also interceding for all those suffering around the world.

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). 

Lord,

Thank you for this suffering.
I willingly accept it
From your hands.

I offer it as a sacrifice
For the forgiveness, healing
And redemption of [names],

And of all
Who need your help
Around the world.

I ask this
In your own dear name,
Amen.

Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you may follow in His footsteps (1 Peter 2:21; AMP).

References

Live a life filled with love, following the example of Christ. He loved us and offered himself as a sacrifice for us, a pleasing aroma to God (Ephesians 5:2; NLT).

I urge you, first of all, to pray for all people. Ask God to help them; intercede on their behalf, and give thanks for them (1 Timothy 2:1; NLT).

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 103:2-4; NLT).