Category: bless

In prayer

Ruth Kirk


Pray for all people. Ask God to help them; intercede on their behalf
(1 Timothy 2:1; NLT). 

Lord,

In prayer,
I often ask you to do things:
To bless, comfort, strengthen
And heal others;

To help me accept
All you send,
Yet still, somehow,
To serve you.

But today, I’m not asking you
To do anything at all;
For I am content
To rest in your presence,

Absorbing your warmth, light
And peace, Lord,
Your truth,
And your love.

This is what the Sovereign Lord, the Holy One of Israel, says: “Only in returning to me and resting in me will you be saved. In quietness and confidence is your strength” (Isaiah 30:15; NLT).

Help those who never hear

Ruth Kirk

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

Help those who never hear your voice,
Although creation sings your praise. 

Bless those who never see your face,
Although your glance sets stars ablaze.

Heal those who never know your love,
Although you cherish all you make. 

Guide those who never try to pray,
Although their sorry hearts may break.  

Teach those who never seek your Son,
Although he dwells within us all.

Draw those who never grasp, Lord God,
That you must wait, until we call. 

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

______________________________

The purpose of life

Ruth Kirk

You can make many plans,
but the Lord’s purpose will prevail
(Proverbs 19:21; NLT).

The purpose of life
is to learn from all we experience,
both good and bad;

To take up our cross
and follow Christ,
becoming more like him,

And growing ever closer to God,
until we grasp our oneness with him,
and with all people.

The purpose of life
is to love others,
without exception;

To pray for them, bless them,
and serve them,
however we can,

And to heal those who suffer
in body, or mind,
in heart, or in spirit, or soul.

He sent them out
to tell everyone about the Kingdom of God
and to heal the sick
(Luke 9:2; NLT).

____________________________________

Looking back

Ruth Kirk

The years of pain.
The empty street.
The fruitless wait;
The mid-day heat.

The dying hope;
The voices, near.
The noisy crowd;
The Teacher, here.

His look of love;
His outstretched hand.
His healing touch;
He helps me stand.

I straighten up,
And take a pace;
The people cheer
While we embrace.

A miracle!
He’s set me free!
I thank him,
And he blesses me.

I bow down low.
The crowd moves on.
I raise my eyes,
But he is gone.

The voices fade
Along the way.
I see it all –
Like yesterday.

I am the Lord who heals you
(Exodus 15:26; NLT).

When you give me light (for A.K.)

Ruth Kirk

I send good times and bad times.
I, the Lord,
am the one who does these things
(Isaiah 45:7; NLT).

The Lord gave me what I had,
and the Lord has taken it away.
Praise the name of the Lord
(Job 1:21; NLT).

Father,
When you give me light
I praise your holy name.

When you send me
Clouds and darkness,
May I do the same. 

Father,
When you grant me peace
I bless your sacred name.

When you send me
Fear and anguish,
May I do the same.

Father,
When you give me joy
I praise your holy name.

When you send me
Grief and sorrow,
May I do the same.

Father,
When you grant me health
I bless your sacred name.

When you send me
Pain and sickness,
May I do the same.

Father,
While you give me life
I’ll praise your holy name.

When you call me home
In death,
May I do just the same.

I will praise the Lord at all times
(Psalm 34:1; NLT).

I delight

Ruth Kirk

Image: PublicDomainPictures; words: NIV.

🧡

1. I delight
In your forgiveness,
And rejoice
In your great love.

2. I exalt
In your salvation,
Lord, my God,
In heaven above.

3. I submit
To every test,
And undertake
To bless each foe.

4. I commit
To follow you,
My Lord, my God,
On earth, below.

🧡

References

1. Take delight in the Lord (Psalm 37:4; NLT).

He forgives all my sins (Psalm 103:3; NLT).

Rejoice, you who worship the Lord (1 Chronicles 16:10; NLT).

He loves us with unfailing love (Psalm 117:2; NLT).

2. Exalt in his holy name (1 Chronicles 16:10; NLT).

I will reward them with a long life and give them salvation (Psalm 91:16; NLT).

I am overwhelmed with joy in the Lord my God! (Isaiah 61:10; NLT).

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name (Matthew 6:9; RSV). 

3. The Lord your God is testing you to see if you truly love him with all your heart and soul (Deuteronomy 13:3; NLT).

Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you (Luke 6:27-8; NIV).

4. 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).

“My Lord and my God!” Thomas exclaimed (John 20:28; NLT).

There is no God like you in all of heaven above or on the earth below (1 Kings 8:23; NLT).

I praise you

Ruth Kirk

Image: geralt, Pixabay

✚

1. I praise you, Lord,
For you are great:
So holy, strong,
Supreme.

2. I bless you, Lord,
For you are kind:
You rescue, save,
Redeem.

3. I thank you, Lord,
For you are wise:
So gentle, just,
And good.

4. I bow down low
To worship you, my God:
For you
Are Love.

✚

References

1. Praise the Lord! (Psalm 150:1; NLT).

God is great! (Psalm 70:4; NLT).

The Lord our God is holy (Psalm 99:9; NLT).

The Lord is glorious and strong (1 Chronicles 16:28; NLT).

The Lord your God is the supreme God of the heavens above and the earth below (Joshua 2:11; NLT).

2. Let the whole world bless our God (Psalm 66:8; NLT).

How kind the Lord is

He rescues me (Psalm 35:9; NLT).

He is my shield, the power that saves me (2 Samuel 22:3; NLT).

He redeems me from death (Psalm 103:4; NLT).

3. Give thanks in all circumstances (1 Thessalonians 5:18; NIV).

We thank you, O God! (Psalm 75:1; NLT).

God is so wise and so mighty (Job 9:4; NLT).

Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart (Matthew 11:29; NLT).

Everything he does is just and fair (Deuteronomy 32:4; NLT).

How good he is! (Psalm 116:5; NLT).

4. Bow down to him alone (2 Kings 17:36; NIV)

God is love (1 John 4:16; NLT).

God waits

Ruth Kirk

Image: Arek Socha, Pixabay

💙

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

1. God waits for us
To come to him.
He waits to pardon
All our sin.

2. He waits to bless us
Every day —
And all we need to do
Is pray.

3. God waits to bear
Our pain and fear.
He waits, though he
Is always near.

4. He waits to help
With every task —
And all we need to do
Is ask.

5. God waits to bind
Our wounds, and heal.
He waits to share
In how we feel.

6. He waits, though we
Are only dust —
And all we need to do
is trust.

💙

The Lord longs to be gracious to you
(Isaiah 30:18; NIV).

References

1. You are a God of forgiveness (Nehemiah 9:17; NLT).

2. Pray about everything (Philippians 4:6; NLT).

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

3. He has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows (Isaiah 53:4; NKJV).

Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me (Psalm 23:4; NIV).

4. Come to me all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest (Matthew 11:28; NLT).

Tell God what you need (Philippians 4:6; NLT).

5. He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds (Psalm 147:3; NIV).

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

6. He knows how weak we are; he remembers we are only dust (Psalm 103:14; NLT).

Trust in God and trust also in me (John 14:1; NLT).

Forgiveness

Ruth Kirk
Image: The Betrayal, by Ugolino di Nerio, Yandex

❤️

Even my best friend, the one I trusted completely,
the one who shared my food, has turned against me
(Psalm 41:9; NLT).

1. Help me, Lord,
To bless all those who curse me,
And to pray for all those
Who berate me.

2. Help me to forgive
All those who hurt me,
And, Lord, to do good
To those who hate me.

3. Help me turn my cheek
To those who bruise me,
And, like you, to love those
Who abuse me.

Father, forgive them,
for they don’t know what they are doing
(Luke 23:34; NLT).

References

1. Bless those who curse you. Pray for those who hurt you (Luke 6:28; NLT).

2. If you forgive those who sin against you, your heavenly Father will forgive you (Matthew 6:14; NLT).

Do good to those who hate you (Luke 6:27; NLT).

3. If someone slaps you on one cheek, offer the other cheek also (Luke 6:29; NLT).

He did not retaliate when he was insulted, nor threaten revenge when he suffered (1 Peter 2:23; NLT).

Love your enemies (Luke 6:27; NLT).

We are patient with those who abuse us (1 Corinthians 4:12; NLT).