Category: Christmas

With eyes fully open

Ruth Kirk

This prayer came to me the moment I woke and started to pray on Christmas morning. It is a special prayer for all of us who find Christmas very difficult, whatever the reason. With my warmest love, and with thanks to you all for your support, from Ruth xxx

I love you, LORD; you are my strength (Psalm 18:1; NLT).

With eyes fully open,
And eyes fully closed:
Yahweh, I love you so much!

No matter what happens
You’re here, at my side:
Jesus, I love you so much!

Speaking, or silent,
You’re here, in my soul:
Spirit, I love you so much!

And you love me too,
Though I can’t see you yet:
But soon, Lord, I’ll reach out, and touch!

Reach out your hand and put it into my side (John 20:27; NIV).

If I can just touch his robe, I will be healed (Matthew 9:21; NLT).

References

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 feet (Luke 24:39-40; NLT).

Blessed are those who believe without seeing me (John 20:29; 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).

After my body has decayed, yet in my body I will see God! I will see him for myself. Yes, I will see him with my own eyes (Job 19:26-7; NLT).

He loves us with unfailing love; the LORD’S faithfulness endures forever. Praise the LORD! (Psalm 117:2; NLT).

For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known (1 Corinthians 12:12; NIV).

The dust returns to the ground it came from, and the spirit returns to God who gave it (Ecclesiastes 12:7; NIV).

So he returned home to his father. And while he was still a long way off, his father saw him coming. Filled with love and compassion, he ran to his son, embraced him, and kissed him (Luke 15:20; NLT).

 

Christmas Day 2025

Ruth Kirk

Happy Christmas to everyone who visits or follows here. Christmas Day has already begun in some parts of the world, so I am posting early, for their sake! With love from Ruth xxx

O God, you are my God; I earnestly search for you. My soul thirsts for you; my whole body longs for you in this parched and weary land where there is no water (Psalm 63:1; NLT).

I am my beloved’s and my beloved is mine (Song of Songs 6:3; NIV).

You are my Father,
And you are my Mother;
You are my Sister,
And you are my Brother.

You are my Teacher,
And you are my Healer;
You are my Priest,
My Companion, and Leader.

You are my Partner,
And you are my Lover;
You are my Godhead,
And I want no other.

You are my Shepherd,
In peace, and in danger;
You are my Saviour, Lord,  
Here: in this manger.

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

They hurried to the village and found Mary and Joseph. And there was the baby, lying in the manger (Luke 2:16; NLT).

References

The LORD is my shepherd; I have all that I need (Psalm 23:1; NLT).

I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd sacrifices his life for the sheep (John 10:11; NLT).

Unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord (Luke 2:11; ESV).

 

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).

Christmas Day

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). 

Sacred darkness;
Holy light;
Patient waiting
In God’s sight.

Hallowed labour;
Painful birth;
God’s own Christ-child
Here, on earth. 

Blissful stillness;
Watchful love;
Sacred, human
Motherhood.

Deepest silence;
Wordless praise;
Perfect peace
As Mary prays.

Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart (Luke 2:19; NIV).

Jesus

Ruth Kirk

When I reached the first bead of the second decade on my prayer-circlet yesterday morning, I suddenly saw the word Jesus, in bold lettering. It was shining just above a dark shape I was looking towards. I don’t know what the dark shape was, because my eyes were closed and my inner space was very dimly lit.

Christ’s name was spelled out in golden light, and curved like a rainbow. The letters partially encircled the dark object, though they did not touch it. The effect was rather like a halo.

Instantly, I thought how fantastic it would be to see Jesus’ name like this wherever I look, always reminding me of his constant presence in everyone and everything.

Then today’s prayer burst out so fast that I could barely keep pace with the words as I hurried to note them down:

God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name (Philippians 2:9; NIV). 

Everywhere I look today:
May I see your name shine out,
Lord Jesus.

Everyone I meet today:
May I see your face in theirs,
Lord Jesus.

Every thought I have today:
May it be like one of yours,
Lord Jesus.

Every word I speak today:
May it be as if your own,
Lord Jesus.

Everything I do today:
May I do it all for you,
Lord Jesus.

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 25:49; NIV).

References 

The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it (John 1:5; NLT).

Jesus spoke to the people once more and said, “I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won’t have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life” (John 8:12; NLT).

I will see you face to face and be satisfied (Psalm 17:15; NLT).

We have the mind of Christ (1 Corinthians 2:16; NLT).

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

Whatever you do or say, do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus (Colossians 3:17; NLT). 

Whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God (1 Corinthians 10:31; NLT). 

Work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people (James 2:12; NLT).

Reading: Philippians 2:5-11; NIV.

In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness.

And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death - even death on a cross! Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

 

 

Christmas Day 2022

Ruth Kirk

God often gives me a special prayer well in advance, ready to post on Christmas Day, but this year it didn’t happen. In fact, I had begun to think there would be no Christmas prayer at all this year. To begin with, I felt I should be able to write something appropriate, but I knew I couldn’t do this without inspiration, so eventually I placed the matter in God’s hands, and let it go.

Then, on the 21st of December, I received a long Christmas prayer, which was very difficult to put into words, to condense, and to edit. Eventually it took the form of a spoken exchange. The first section pictures Christ speaking to us, whilst the second pictures us responding to him.

1. She gave birth to her first child, a son. She wrapped him snugly in strips of cloth and laid him in a manger, because there was no lodging available for them (Luke 2:7; NLT). 

I was born on earth
In the shadow of want,
And lived in the shadow of fear.

I worked on earth
In the shadow of hate,
But knew that my Father was near.

I wept on earth
In the shadow of grief,
And prayed in the shadow of pain.

I walked on earth
In the shadow of death,
Then rose, to save all, and to reign.

The world has now become the Kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he will reign forever and ever (Revelation 11:15; NLT).

2. We all have sinned against you (Jeremiah 14:20; NLT). 

Though we dwell in the shadow of sin,
And grieve in the shadow of loss,

We pray, and give thanks, and rejoice,
For we follow your way of the cross.

Though we walk in the shadow of death,
We trust in your staff and your rod.

Lord, you are here, in earth’s darkness,
So we sing in the shadow of God.

Because you are my helper, I sing for joy in the shadow of your wings (Psalm 63:7; NLT).

Christmas

Ruth Kirk

This is how Jesus the Messiah was born (Matthew 1:18; NLT). 

Birth to bliss, and bliss to birth:
Christ, Messiah, here on earth.
Bliss to birth, and birth to bliss:
Now, receiving Mary’s kiss.

Light to dark, and dark to light:
Christ, transfigured, shining bright.
Dark to light, and light to dark:
Now, in anguish, broken heart.

Sweat to blood, and blood to sweat:
Jesus, weeping, facing death.
Blood to sweat, and sweat to blood:
Crucified, his pain is love.

Death to life, and life to death:
Jesus takes his final breath.
Life to death, and death to life:
He comes again, to end all strife.

Christ died once for all time as a sacrifice to take away the sins of many people. He will come again, not to deal with our sins, but to bring salvation to all who are eagerly waiting for him (Hebrews 9:28; NLT).

 

Christ waits

Ruth Kirk

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

Every day is Christmas Day,
And every day is Easter.
Every day, within us all,
Christ waits to be our Teacher.

Every day he’s born again,
And every day, tormented.
Every day, within us all,
Christ waits to be befriended.

Every day he lives for us,
And every day he’s dying.
Every day, within us all,
Christ waits, with tears, and sighing.

Every day he shares our joy,
And every day, our sorrow.
Every day, within us all,
Christ waits, until tomorrow.

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

Christ’s birth

Ruth Kirk

God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.
(John 3:16; NLT).

Thank you, Lord, for loving us,
And giving us your only Son,

So we can believe in him
And follow him on earth.

Then we will not perish, Lord,
For he will lead us back to you:

Reunited, evermore –
Lord, thank you for Christ’s birth. 

🖤

The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God (Luke 1:35; KJV). 

She gave birth to her first child, a son.
(Luke 2:7; NLT).