Month: December 2024

Time with God

Ruth Kirk

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

Spend some time
With God today,
While you wake, or wash,
Or pray;

As you dress,
Or read, or walk;
When you drive, or work,
Or talk;

While you cook,
Or serve, or eat;
As you rest,
Before you sleep…

Spend some time
With God today,
And S/He* will guide you
All the way!

The LORD must wait for you to come to him so he can show you his love and compassion (Isaiah 30:18; NLT).

The LORD says, “I will guide you along the best pathway for your life. I will advise you and watch over you” (Psalm 32:8; NLT).

A note to all readers

For several months I have been trying to avoid using pronouns for God, whether masculine or feminine. However, this has proved to be quite a challenge, because of the limitations of the English language.

Today I realised I could resolve this issue by using, “S/He”, which came as a huge relief. This inclusive pronoun has only one syllable, which is extremely helpful when writing poetry. Furthermore, it can be pronounced however each reader finds most helpful.

There is ample justification in the Bible for using both masculine and feminine pronouns for God, even though masculine translations have traditionally dominated. Below are two examples of verses which support my case for including references to the femininity of God in my writing:

Before the mountains were born, before you gave birth to the earth and the world, from eternity to eternity, you are God (Psalm 90:2; CSB).

Will I, who causes others to give birth, not also give birth myself, says the Lord? Will I, who bestows generation upon others, be barren myself, says the Lord your God? (Isaiah 66:9; CPDV).

*Please remember that you can pronounce “S/He” however you wish. I hope very much that you will be able to tolerate this linguistic change. It will make a huge difference to my life not to have to spend lots of time every day trying to avoid using the conventional masculine pronoun “He” to refer to God.

What if I meet my abuser in heaven?

Ruth Kirk

Introduction
Some years ago, when my emotionally-abusive mother died, I was extremely relieved to know she was no longer here, on earth.

However, since then I have often wondered uneasily whether I might have to see her again in heaven. If so, what will I do if she continues to relate to me as she did in life? What if I need to confront her, yet again, about her behaviour? What if she continues to deny, minimise, and dismiss the damage she inflicted on me, just as she did when she was alive?

These thoughts readily re-trigger my anxiety and dread. They make me fear I will never truly escape her power to wound, and even to destroy me.

Heaven: forgiveness and healing
This issue began to change recently, when I saw that in heaven there will be no danger whatsoever of having to confront my mother, for this task belongs to God alone (Zephaniah 3:19; NRSV).

It will be up to God to hear her confession, witness and accept her repentance, and forgive all her sins. I will never know what passes between them, nor is it my concern. Moreover, my mother had damaging experiences of her own, so God will also heal her wounds completely.

In just the same way, my own sins, like those of everyone else, will be forgiven, and all suffering, including that caused by other people, will be healed.

Oneness
When our sin and suffering have been removed, only the innate goodness and perfect wholeness of our souls will remain, for our souls will still be part of God, just as they always have been (Genesis 2:7; KJV).

In heaven, we will at last be fully re-united with God and with each other forever, far beyond time and space (Ecclesiastes 12:7; NIV).

Perhaps we will no longer even be recognisable as the embodied, gendered individuals we were during life, because we shall all be changed (1 Corinthians 15:51; NKJV). Jesus said that we will be like the angels in heaven (Mark 12:25; NIV), whilst John said we will be like Christ (1 John 3:2; NIV).

Conclusion
So, in heaven there will no longer be “abuser” and “victim”, no “others” or “self”. Once we are forgiven and healed, these distinctions will disappear. We will all be one, all like Christ, and all united in God. Our histories, their consequences, and our emotions about them, will pass into nothingness. Everyone will be forgiven, and everyone will be healed. Past events will be viewed very differently, left behind at last, or perhaps mercifully erased.

There is therefore no need to dread having to meet, or confront, our abusers after death. Isaiah offers us a vision of what heaven will be like:

“The wolf will live with the lamb, the leopard will lie down with the goat, the calf and the lion and the yearling together; and a little child will lead them. The cow will feed with the bear, their young will lie down together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox. The infant will play near the cobra’s den, and the young child will put its hand into the viper’s nest. They will neither harm nor destroy on all my holy mountain” (Isaiah 11:9; NIV).

Amen. God is good! Thank you, Lord!

No joy?

Ruth Kirk

At that same time Jesus was filled with the joy of the Holy Spirit (Luke 10:21; NLT).

When you have no joy of your own,
Why not live in Christ’s joy?
When you have no peace of your own,
Why not live in Christ’s peace?

When you have no truth of your own,
Why not live in Christ’s truth?
When you have no hope of your own,
Why not live in Christ’s hope?

When you have no faith of your own,
Why not live in Christ’s faith?
And when you have no  love of your own,
Why not live in Christ’s love?

Just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him (Colossians 2:6; NIV).

References

Nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord (Romans 8:39; NLT).

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).

Lost?

Ruth Kirk

Some wandered in the wilderness, lost and homeless (Psalm 107:4; NLT).

Some sat in darkness and deepest gloom, imprisoned in iron chains of misery (Psalm 107:10; NLT).

Lost in darkness, or abuse?
Lost in emptiness, or dread?
Lost in hopelessness, or sin?
Lost in panic, rage, or fear?

Lost in loneliness, or grief?
Lost in suffering, or pain?
Lost in bitterness, or hate?
Lost in anguish? Christ is here.

The Son of Man came to seek and save those who are lost (Luke 19:10; NLT).

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

References

He withdrew about a stone’s throw beyond them, knelt down and prayed, “Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.” An angel from heaven appeared to him and strengthened him. And being in anguish, he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground (Luke 22:41-44; NLT).

Since he himself has gone through suffering and testing, he is able to help us when we are being tested (Hebrews 2:18; NLT).

Since we have a great High Priest who has entered heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to what we believe. This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same testings we do, yet he did not sin. So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most (Hebrews 4:14-16; NLT).

No power in the sky above or in the earth below – indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord (Romans 8:39; NLT).

God speaks

Ruth Kirk

God speaks again and again, though people do not recognize it (Job 33:14; NLT).

God speaks to us through music,
And through words;
Through other people, beauty, peace,
And love.

God speaks to us through stillness,
And through dance;
Through joys and sorrows, prophecy,
And “chance”.

God speaks to us through silence,
And through grief;
Through dread, and pain, and sacrifice,
And blood.

God speaks to us through darkness,
And through strife;
Through loss of faith, and suffering,
And life.

Our lives are in his hands (Psalm 66:9; NLT).

The life of every living thing is in his hand, and the breath of every human being (Job 12:10; NLT).

References

I create the light and make the darkness. I send good times and bad times. I, the LORD, am the one who does these things (Isaiah 45; 7; NLT).

Should we accept only good things from the hand of God and never anything bad? (Job 2:10; NLT).

I want your will to be done, not mine (Luke 22:42; NLT).

In all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose (Romans 8:28; NIV).

Bad and good

Ruth Kirk

Should we accept only good things from the hand of God and never anything bad? (Job 2:10; NLT).

Think of the bad with acceptance.
Think of the good with delight.
Give thanks for both; ask for healing:
God waits to help, day and night.

God makes all things work together.
God makes all things work for good.
Pray about all that God sends you:
Drink from God’s wellspring of love.

Try to look back with forgiveness.
Try to look forward with faith.
Trust in God’s care; ask for healing:
Then, you’ll discover God’s grace.

Live in God’s presence, forever.
Live in God’s Spirit and Son.
Give thanks for all, with rejoicing,
Whilst saying, “May your will be done”.

Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven (Matthew 6:10; NIV).

I want your will to be done, not mine (Luke 22:42; NLT).

References

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).

Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always strive to do what is good for each other and for everyone else. Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus (1 Thessalonians 5:15-18; NIV).

Boxing Day 2024

Ruth Kirk

God so loved the world as to give the Only Begotten One, that whoever believes may not die, but have eternal life (John 3:16; TIB).

You gave the world your only Son,
Who freely sends the Holy Ghost
To all who trust and follow him.

You make all living creatures one
With you, so we can join your host,
To celebrate Christ’s birth within.

You make your holy kingdom come!
May your commands be uppermost
In every heart. Forgive our sin;

And may your perfect will be done
Throughout the world, from coast to coast:
Help us to run our race, and win!

So run to win! (1 Corinthians 9:24; NLT).

References

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

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us (Hebrews 12:1; NLT).

Christmas Day 2024

Ruth Kirk

She brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn (Luke 2:7; KJV).

God, our Father, and our Mother,
God, our Sister, and our Brother,
God, our Helper, Guide, and Lover,
You are One: there is no other.

Christ, in every friend and neighbour,
Christ, in enemy and stranger,
Christ, in pain, and blood, and danger,
Born for all; laid in a manger.

Holy Spirit, now you show
Us how to love, which way to go.
You long to help us change and grow,
Whilst sharing every joy, and woe.

In all their suffering he also suffered (Isaiah 63:9; NLT).

Gifts

Ruth Kirk

Give, and you will receive. Your gift will return to you in full – pressed down, shaken together to make room for more, running over, and poured into your lap (Luke 6:38; NLT).

Although we are nothing,
That doesn’t stop Yahweh
From giving us talents and skills
To unwrap:

God’s measure is full of gifts,
Shaken together,
Pressed down, running over:
Poured into our lap.

They all depend on you to give them food as they need it. When you supply it, they gather it. You open your hand to feed them, and they are richly satisfied (Psalm 104:27-8; NLT).

My Guardian

Ruth Kirk

The Lord is your Guardian (Psalm 121:5; ISV).

You are the Guardian
Of my life:
Whatever I must face,
You share.

You are the Guardian
Of my mind:
However dark my thoughts,
You’re there.

You are the Guardian
Of my heart:
No matter how I feel,
You’re near.

You are the Guardian
Of my soul:
In life and death,
You’re always here.

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me (Psalm 23: 4; KJV).