The Word became human and made his home among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness (John 1:14; NLT).
Thank you for your faithfulness,
Your help, your strength, your caring.
Thank you for your gentleness,
Your way, your truth, your sharing.
Thank you for your tenderness,
Your healing and restoring.
Thank you for your sacrifice
Of love and grace, outpouring.
Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God (Ephesians 5:2; NIV).
Your life is a journey (1 Peter 1:18; The Message).
Life is a circular journey. We move from being one with God beyond space and time, to being born into a particular body, time, place and set of circumstances. Each of us is born as a unique individual with free will. We only get one shot at finding out who we are, and learning to be authentically ourselves.
Our exile here on earth is a journey back to God. Along the way, we experience our own unique joys and sorrows, successes and failures, tests and trials. We discover our limitations, and develop our own boundaries. We are fragile, so along the way we can get sick or damaged, whether physically, mentally, emotionally, or spiritually.
Life is a healing process. Everything we experience offers us opportunities to learn, grow and reach as much of our individual potential as we can. We can do this whilst excluding God completely, or whilst sharing the process with Him as much as we want to.
When we share ourselves honestly with God, we can grow in oneness with Him during our time here. We have Jesus as our example, and His Holy Spirit as our guide and helper.
By the time we die we have come almost full circle, and our journey towards healing is almost finished. At death we return to our original, absolute oneness with God. Then our journey is over, and our healing process is complete.
The dust returns to the ground it came from, and the spirit returns to God who gave it (Ecclesiastes 12:7; NIV).
He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever (Revelation 21:4; NLT).
References
I knew you before I formed you in your mother’s womb (Jeremiah 1:5; NLT).
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).
Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows (John 16:33; NLT).
Think of it – the LORD is ready to heal me! (Isaiah 38:20; NLT).
Your life is a journey you must travel with a deep consciousness of God (1 Peter 1:18; The Message).
“My Lord and my God!” Thomas exclaimed (John 20:28; NLT).
I am my beloved’s and my beloved is mine (Song of Songs 6:3; NIV).
My Lord and my God,
I am yours.
You’re my way, and my truth,
And my cause.
My Lord and my God,
I am yours.
Jesus: my spirit
Adores.
My Lord and my God,
You are mine.
You’re my bread, and my water,
And wine.
My Lord and my God,
You are mine –
Jesus: my life
For all time.
Jesus told him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me” (John 14:6; NLT).
What great nation has a god as near to them as the LORD our God is near to us whenever we call on him? (Deuteronomy 4:7; NLT).
God is always near, for God is everywhere.
God is always here, for God is in everything, and nothing can exist unless God is in it.
God is always now, for God has no beginning or end.
God is always in everyone, however strongly this is ignored, denied, or rejected.
And, above all, God is always love.
Amen!
Anyone who does not love does not know God, for God is love (1 John 4:8; NLT).
References
There is … one God and Father, who is over all and in all and living through all (Ephesians 4:5-6; NLT).
I can never escape from your Spirit! I can never get away from your presence! If I go up to heaven, you are there; if I go down to the grave, you are there. If I ride the wings of the morning, if I dwell by the farthest oceans, even there your hand will guide me, and your strength will support me (Psalm 139:7-10; NLT).
He loves us with unfailing love; the LORD’s faithfulness endures forever. Praise the LORD! (Psalm 117:2; NLT).
Do everything with love (1 Corinthians 16:14; NLT).
May I do everything with love, my God,
However small;
And may I speak each word with love,
So others hear your call.
May I take captive all my thoughts,
And make them loving, too;
And may my heart be filled with love –
Then I’ll be more like you.
Take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ (2 Corinthians 10:5; NIV).
Put on your new nature, and be renewed as you learn to know your Creator and become like him (Colossians 3:10; NLT).
Serve only the LORD your God and fear him alone. Obey his commands, listen to his voice, and cling to him (Deuteronomy 13:4; NLT).
Lord, when I’m alone,
I cling to you;
And, when I’m depressed,
I trust in you.
Lord, when I’m afraid,
I cling to you;
And, when I’m distressed,
I trust in you.
Lord, when I’m in pain,
I cling to you;
And, when I ask, ‘Why?’,
I trust in you.
Lord, when I despair,
I cling to you;
And, when I must die,
I’ll trust in you.
Through Christ you have come to trust in God. And you have placed your faith and hope in God because he raised Christ from the dead and gave him great glory (1 Peter 1:21; NLT).
References
From the depths of despair, O LORD, I call for your help (Psalm 130:1; NLT).
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).
Trust in God, and trust also in me (John 14:1; NLT).
I want your will to be done, not mine (Luke 22:42; NLT).
He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds (Psalm 147:3; NIV).
When we’re sick
You heal us, Lord,
And when we’re bound,
You free us.
When we’re poor
You feed us, Lord,
And when we’re scared,
You guard us.
When we’re wrong
You love us, Lord,
And when we’re sad
You cheer us.
When we’re weak
You help us, Lord,
And when we’re lost
You save us.
The Son of Man came to seek and save those who are lost (Luke 19:10; NLT).
References
The Lord frees the prisoners (Psalm 146:7; NLT).
He who feeds on me will live (John 6:57; NKJV).
He guards the paths of the just (Proverbs 2:8; NLT).
He loves with unfailing love (Psalm 117:2; NLT).
Your rod and your staff protect and comfort me (Psalm 23:4; NLT).
He helps me (Psalm 28:7; NLT).
Our God is a God who saves! (Psalm 68:20; NLT).
You, O LORD, are always my shield from danger; you give me victory and restore my courage (Psalm 3:3; GNT).
Father, I worship you,
Jesus, I trust in you,
Spirit, please guide me
Through all that I fear.
Father, please strengthen me,
Jesus, please rescue me,
Spirit, please help me:
I’m so glad you’re here!
The LORD is in this place, and I wasn’t even aware of it! (Genesis 28:16; NLT).
References
The Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness (Romans 8:26; NLT).
Be sure of this, I am with you always (Matthew 28:20; CSB).
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).
The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and he helps me. My heart leaps for joy, and with my song I praise him (Psalm 28:7; NIV).
You have been given the privilege of serving Christ, not only by believing in him, but also by suffering for him (Philippians 1:29; GNT).
I offer my sickness, my pain,
My depression:
I offer them, Yahweh,
Today.
I offer them willingly, Yahweh,
For others:
Please comfort and heal them,
I pray.
Please strengthen me, Father,
To suffer for others:
Like Christ, my example,
And way.
To this you were called, since Christ also suffered for you, leaving an example for you to follow in his steps (1 Peter 2:21; NET).
Jesus told him, “I am the way” (John 14:6; NLT).
I cling to you; your strong right hand holds me securely (Psalm 63:8; NLT).
God has touched me,
So I cling.
God has spoken,
So I sing.
God has stirred me,
So I blaze.
God has saved me,
So I praise.
God is present,
So I pray.
God is loving,
So I stay.
God is perfect,
So I chant.
God is music,
So I dance.
David danced before the LORD with all his might (2 Samuel 6:14; NLT).