death – Seeking God's face together

28.3.23: Saying “Yes” to God

March 28, 2023Ruth Kirk

The Annunciation to Mary by Constantijn Daniel van Renesse & Rembrandt Harmensz. van Rijn, c. 1652, Staatliche Museen zu Berlin.

Yesterday, as soon as I began to pray without words, these verses arrived:

May your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven (Matthew 6:10; NLT).

May your perfect will
Be done, Lord,
In my flesh, mind,
Heart and soul,

Throughout my life,
With every breath,
Throughout my dying,
And my death

May I say, “Yes”
To all you send –
For then
I will be whole.

He wounds, but His hands make whole (Job 5:18; NKJV).

References

Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect (Romans 12:2; NLT).

Mary said, “Yes, I am a servant of the Lord; let this happen to me according to your word” (Luke 1:38; NET).

Then Jesus left them a second time and prayed, “My Father! If this cup cannot be taken away unless I drink it, your will be done” (Matthew 26:42; NLT).

Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word (Luke 2:29; KJV).

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 23:4t; NIV).

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

The Rosary Hospital

I enjoyed making this unusual Fiat rosary yesterday evening. The olive-wood, tear-drop shaped beads are quite small, but because of their shape they are easy and pleasant to hold. Hopefully, it will be completely finished by tomorrow evening.

15.3.23: God is merciful

March 15, 2023Ruth Kirk

The life of every living thing is in his hand, and the breath of every human being (Job 2:10; NLT).

With us from our first
To our last breath,
God is very merciful
In death.

Even as we face
Our final test,
He gathers every soul
Back to his breast.

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).

References

The Lord our God is merciful (Daniel 9:9; NLT).

All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is our merciful Father and the source of all comfort (2 Corinthians 1:3; NLT).

Jesus shouted, “Father, I entrust my spirit into your hands!” And with those words he breathed his last (Luke 23:46; 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).

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

9.3.23: The tomb

March 9, 2023Ruth Kirk

Yesterday, in a vivid split second, I saw my heart as the tomb where Jesus was laid after his crucifixion. Out of this came today’s rather mysterious, ambiguous dialogue. The vision was completely silent, so it was exceptionally difficult to put into words. The last two lines are spoken by Christ.

Following Jewish burial custom, they wrapped Jesus’ body with the spices in long sheets of linen cloth. The place of crucifixion was near a garden, where there was a new tomb, never used before. And so, because it was the day of preparation for the Jewish Passover and since the tomb was close at hand, they laid Jesus there (John 19:40-2; NLT).

I saw that my mind is the tomb
Where Our Lord was conveyed.

Will you rise from the dead there,
To pray for the people I meet?

I saw that my heart is the tomb
Where our Saviour was laid.

Will you rise from the dead there,
To love every person I greet?

I saw that my soul is the tomb
Where our Master was sealed.

Will you rise from the dead there,
To shepherd my steps on your way?

I saw that my flesh is the tomb
Where Christ Jesus was healed.

Will you rise from the dead there,
To serve me in others today?

Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me (Matthew 25:40; NIV).

References

Awake, O sleeper, rise up from the dead, and Christ will give you light (the Ephesians 5:14; NLT).

They sealed the tomb and posted guards to protect it (Matthew 27:66; NLT).

He died for everyone so that those who receive his new life will no longer live for themselves. Instead, they will live for Christ, who died and was raised for them (2 Corinthians 5:15; NLT).

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

Those who die in the LORD will live; their bodies will rise again! (Isaiah 26:19; NLT).

The Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many (Matthew 20:28; NLT).

12.2.23: Attitude

February 12, 2023February 12, 2023Ruth Kirk

What a difference our attitude makes to how we respond to all God sends. As Saint Paul says: “You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had” (Philippians 2:5; NLT).

Last night I dreamed I was very ill. It was clear that I was dying, and that this was beyond my control, and beyond any possibility of medical intervention.

In my dream, I was aware that my attitude to death would make a huge difference to how I experienced it. I could accept what was happening, facing it willingly and putting my trust in God. Alternatively, I could resent it, get angry, and feel bitter, or afraid, even blaming God. However, no matter how I approached it, death was still inevitable.

It was a very vivid dream, and I laid awake for a long time afterwards. Eventually I gave up hoping to go back to sleep, so I sat up in bed with a hot drink, and began to pray. To my surprise, as soon as I had said the Lord’s Prayer, today’s blog began to arrive:

In his anguish he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground (Luke 22:44; NET).

I’m hot. I’m cold.
I’m restless. I can’t sleep.

Into my mind, Lord,
Doubts and questions creep:

Can I face all that’s coming
Without fear?

Yahweh, I know I can’t,
But you are here

To help me bear
Whatever you may send:

My Lord, my God,
My Comforter, and Friend.

Now we can rejoice in our wonderful new relationship with God because our Lord Jesus Christ has made us friends of God (Romans 5:11; 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).

The LORD gives, and the LORD takes away. Blessed be the name of the LORD (Job 1:21; CSB).

The LORD gives both death and life (I Samuel 2:6; NLT).

He …became anguished and distressed (Matthew 26:37; NET).

Look – the time has come. The Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners (Matthew 26:45; 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).

I want your will to be done, not mine (Mark 14:36; NLT).

He shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever (John 14:16; KJV).

1.2.23: Safe with you

February 1, 2023Ruth Kirk

How quickly our lives can change! A sudden illness, accident, disaster or loss can occur at any time, but God is always with us, no matter what happens.

The Lord holds them by the hand (Psalm 37:24; NLT).

You hold our hands,
And light our path,

You hold us dear,
And help us pray,

You hold us close
Till our last breath:

We’re safe with you,
In life and death.

Whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord (Romans 14:8; NLT).

References

Though the Lord gave you adversity for food and suffering for drink, he will still be with you to teach you (Isaiah 30:20; NLT).

Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me (Psalm 23:4; NKJV).

10.1.23: Heaven

January 10, 2023January 10, 2023Ruth Kirk

As soon as I started to pray last Monday, fresh prayers began to arrive. It was all I could do to keep up with them, and at one point, to my horror, I thought I had accidentally erased a whole piece. Fortunately, I managed to find it in the end. Here is one of the prayers I received that day:

Whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord (Romans 14:8; NLT).

Heaven
Is being one with God –
From genesis
Before our birth,
Through trials and sorrows
Here on earth;
In loss and gain,
In joy and pain –
Forever one
In love.

Heaven
Is being one with God –
Let’s offer thanks,
Rejoice and pray,
And follow Jesus
Every day.
Let’s seek his face,
And share his grace –
Forever one
In God.

Heaven
Is being one with God –
Let’s praise his name
With every breath,
And walk with him
In life and death.
Then, safe ashore,
We will adore –
Forever one
With God.

We know how much God loves us, and we have put our trust in his love. God is love, and all who live in love live in God, and God lives in them (1 John 4:16; NLT).

9.1.23: Bad dreams

January 9, 2023Ruth Kirk

Context: Although I don’t feel anxious about my deteriorating health in the daytime, I have bad dreams about it almost every night. A few days ago I woke feeling particularly upset and disturbed by what I had experienced in my dream, and especially by how I’d felt, both physically and mentally.

My training and experience suggest that these dreams are telling me what’s going on in my unconscious mind, and that it might be helpful to talk them over. As I prayed about this, today’s verses came to mind. They arrived so quickly that it was all I could do to scribble them down. Later I was able to spend time reflecting on them, and editing them.

I’m getting old, and sick, Lord,
Let’s face facts –
I’m never going to do again
Some of the things I love.
I’m never going to do
What I’ve not done.

I’m running out of health,
And out of time.
I’m fine with this
When I’m awake,
But dream about it
Almost every night.

And that’s when I experience
My grief,
My weakness, tiredness,
Helplessness and fear;
Depression; getting lost;
Dementia; tears.

Day after day I wake up
In distress.
Today, I recognised
That maybe I need help:
Lord God, I want to talk
About my dreams.

God gave Daniel the special ability to interpret the meanings of visions and dreams (Daniel 1:17; NLT).

God can tell you what it means and set you at ease (Genesis 41:16; NLT).

The Rosary Hospital

Word is slowly getting round about The Rosary Hospital, and I’ve fulfilled another two commissions. Meanwhile, yesterday I finished making a simple five-decade rosary for fun, finding it helpful to experiment freely without having any particular recipient in mind.

3.1.23: Acceptance

January 3, 2023Ruth Kirk

Today’s prayer is the third of four which all arrived together on New Year’s Eve.

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

This is how I am, Lord,
I accept it.
I want to do your will,
And not my own.

I want to follow you, Lord,
So I humbly bear my cross;
Like you, I offer thanks
For grief and pain.

This is how I am, Lord,
I embrace it.
I want to do your will,
And to endure.

I want to be like you, Lord,
So I’m walking in your steps:
Like you, I must face death
To rise again.

Those who die in the LORD will live; their bodies will rise again! (Isaiah 26:19; NLT).

25.12.22: Christmas Day

December 25, 2022December 25, 2022Ruth Kirk

Context: 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.

✝️ 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 in the shadow of want,
And lived in the shadow of fear.

I worked in the shadow of hate,
But knew that my Father was near.

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

I walked 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).

✝️ 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 greetings:

My very best wishes to every reader who visits this website. May God bless you. I pray for you all every day.

✝️ With love, and many thanks for your support, from Ruth xxxxxxx