Month: July 2024

I belong to you

Ruth Kirk

You and I both belong to God (Job 33:6; NLT).

Yahweh,
I belong to you,

And this is how
I know it’s true:

You made my body,
Heart, and mind;

You whisper to me:
Please, be kind;

You sent your Son
To save, and guide;

You love me, help me,
Teach, heal, chide,

And breathe your Spirit
Into me,

So I am always
One with Thee.

The Spirit of God has made me, and the breath of the Almighty gives me life (Job 33:4; NLT).

The person who is joined to the Lord is one spirit with him (1 Corinthians 6:17; NLT).

Jesus whispers (with thanks to H.C.)

Ruth Kirk

“Go out and stand before me on the mountain,” the LORD told him. And as Elijah stood there, the LORD passed by, and a mighty windstorm hit the mountain. It was such a terrible blast that the rocks were torn loose, but the LORD was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake. And after the earthquake there was a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire. And after the fire there was the sound of a gentle whisper (1 Kings 19:11-12; NLT).

Jesus whispers:
Come to me.
Take my yoke,
And share my rest.

Jesus whispers:
I am with you,
As we face
Each painful test.

Jesus whispers:
I forgive you,
When we tell him
We repent.

Jesus whispers:
I am He
Whom God, the Mighty One,
Has sent.

God showed how much he loved us by sending his one and only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through him (1 John 4:9; NLT).

Until it hurts (for K.B.)

Ruth Kirk

As the deer longs for streams of water, so I long for you, O God. I thirst for God, the living God. When can I go and stand before him? (Psalm 42:1-2; NLT).

I worship you
Until it hurts –
I long so much
To see your face;
To hear your voice, Lord,
Bow down low,
Then share our first
Renewed embrace.

I worship you
Until I weep –
I thirst to see you, Lord,
So much;
To be forgiven,
Crowned, redeemed,
And know your tender
Healing touch.

He forgives all my sins and heals all my diseases. He redeems me from death and crowns me with love and tender mercies. He fills my life with good things. My youth is renewed like the eagle’s! (Psalm 103:3-5; NLT).

God’s plan

Ruth Kirk

“I know the plans I have for you,” says the LORD. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope” (Jeremiah 29:11; NLT).

God has a plan for us:
Follow his Son.
God has plan for us:
Making us one.

God has a plan for us:
We can be saved.
God has a plan for us:
His name be praised.

God has a plan for us:
Live in his love.
God has a plan for us:
Strive to do good.

God has a plan for us:
His Kingdom come.
God has a plan for us:
His will be done.

He went on a little farther and bowed with his face to the ground, praying, “My Father! If it is possible, let this cup of suffering be taken away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine” (Matthew 26:39; NLT).

God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them (Romans 8:28; NLT).

In your hands (for D.)

Ruth Kirk

Every living creature is in the hands of God (Job 12:10; CEV)

We’re born in your hands, Lord,
And nursed in your hands.
We search in your hands,
And we thirst in your hands.

We learn in your hands, Lord,
And stray in your hands.
We grow in your hands,
And we pray in your hands.

We serve in your hands, Lord,
And thrive in your hands.
We fail in your hands,
And we strive  in your hands.

We work in your hands, Lord,
And sleep in your hands.
We hide in your hands,
And we weep in your hands.

We praise in your hands, Lord,
And sigh in your hands.
We live in your hands,
And we die in your hands.

Jesus called out with a loud voice, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.” When he had said this, he breathed his last (Luke 23:46; NIV).

Night prayer

Ruth Kirk

Thank him for all he has done (Philippians 4:6; NLT).

Yahweh,
I gather your gifts
In my hands,
And thank you, with love,
For each one.

Yahweh,
I gather my sins
In my hands,
And plead for your mercy
And grace.

Yahweh,
I gather us all
In my hands,
And beg you to help
Those who weep.

Yahweh,
I place all my prayers
In your hands,
Then rest in your arms
As I sleep.

The eternal God is your refuge, and his everlasting arms are under you (Deuteronomy 33:27; NLT).

Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls (Matthew 11:28-9; KJV).

Angels

Ruth Kirk

Then an angel from heaven came to help him (Luke 22:43; CEV).

A few days ago, in great distress, I begged God to send me an angel who would help me. He did, indeed, do so, but, being God, Yahweh didn’t send just one: God sent angel after angel over the following days, including Sunday the 14th of July, 2024, when I’m writing this in the evening.

Since I asked, time after time, people have come into my path with just the right help, information, care, or comfort I needed, each at just the right time. It’s very startling when each one arrives completely unexpectedly.

Putting myself into God’s hands and trusting this new, “blind” way forward is a strange, but wonderful experience, and a huge learning curve for me. I also need to remember what the Bible says:

Don’t neglect to show hospitality, for by doing this some have welcomed angels as guests without knowing it (Hebrews 13:2; CSB).

I praise your name

Ruth Kirk

I praise your name (Psalm 138:2; NLT).

Lord, I praise your holy name,
Because you sent your only Son
To earth, so he could heal and save,
And let me be his willing slave.

Yahweh, Jesus, Holy Ghost:
I celebrate your perfect love,
For, every day, I hear your voice:
Then, Lord, I thank you, and rejoice!

Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus (1 Thessalonians 5:18; NIV).

Rejoice always (1 Thessalonians 5:16; NIV).

Not the same

Ruth Kirk

Yes, 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…

Life’s not the same without the cross;
Without the gift and loss
Of Christ; his resurrection, and
Our journey to his promised land.

Life’s not the same without his love;
Without his closeness, and the Dove,
His Holy Ghost, who shows the way,
Whilst helping us to serve, and pray.

Life’s not the same without his care;
Without his Word to give and share,
As we lead others back to God,
Who comforts us with staff and rod.

Life’s not the same without our faith;
Without the mercy, strength, and grace
Of God, our Father, and his Son,
And Holy Ghost – for we are one.

…so that I could gain Christ and become one with him (Philippians 3:8-9; NLT).

References

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. And may they be in us so that the world will believe you sent me (John 17:21; NLT).

The person who is joined to the Lord is one spirit with him (1 Corinthians 6:17; NLT).

The Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from the dead, lives in you (Romans 8:11; NLT).

A reading from Ephesians 3:14-19; JB.

I pray, kneeling before the Father, from whom every family, whether spiritual or natural, takes its name: Out of his infinite glory, may he give you the power through his Spirit for your hidden self to grow strong, so that Christ may live in your hearts through faith, and then, planted in love and built on love, you will with all the saints have strength to grasp the breadth and the length, the height and the depth; until, knowing the love of Christ, which is beyond all knowledge, you are filled with the utter fullness of God.

Friends

Ruth Kirk

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

See all those you meet as friends –
Immediately!
Treat them all with kindness, care,
And love.

Ask them how they are, and listen
Carefully,
Seeing them as Christ,
In heaven above.

Lift them up to him in prayer –
Reflexively:
A simple, silent blessing
Will suffice.

Ask our God to help them,
Offer thanks for them –
Then you will live in paradise,
With Christ.

Jesus replied, “I assure you, today you will be with me in paradise” (Luke 23:43; NLT).

References

Love your neighbour as yourself (Leviticus 19:18; 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).

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).

Pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people (Ephesians 6:18; NIV).