Category: grace

16.9.23: The grace of God

Ruth Kirk
kareni: Pixabay.

I woke early yesterday and couldn’t go back to sleep, so began to pray instead. As I said my familiar morning prayers, the opening words, shape and direction of today’s blog burst into my mind.

And Mary said: “My soul glorifies the Lord
and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior.”
(Luke 1:46-7; NIV). 

1. I glorify the grace of God,
The mind, and heart, and face
Of God.

2. I celebrate the light of God,
The truth, and peace, and might
Of God.

3. I bow before the fire of God,
The jealousy and ire
Of God.

4. I venerate the hope of God,
The comfort, joy, and scope
Of God.

5. I witness to the love of God,
The Spirit, and the Son
Of God.

6. Lord,
Forgive my sin and shame,
And help me magnify your Name.

Oh, magnify the LORD with me,
and let us exalt His name together.
(Psalm 34:3; NKJV).

References

Verse 1:
*The grace of God has been revealed, bringing salvation to all people. (Titus 2:11; NLT).
*The LORD your God is more powerful than all other gods and lords, and his tremendous power is to be feared. His decisions are always fair, and you cannot bribe him to change his mind. (Deuteronomy 10:17; CEV).
*The LORD smelled the pleasing aroma and said in his heart: “Never again will I curse the ground because of humans, even though every inclination of the human heart is evil from childhood” (Genesis 8:21; NIV).
*Jacob named the place Peniel (which means “face of God”) (Genesis 32:30; NLT).

Verse 2:
* God is light (1 John 1:5; NLT).
*The Spirit is truth (1 John 5:6; NKJV).
*The Lord is peace (Judges 6:24; NLT).
*Power and might are in your hand, and no one can withstand you (2 Chronicles 20:6; NIV).

Verse 3:
The LORD your God is a devouring fire; he is a jealous God (Deuteronomy 4:24; NLT).
God’s anger will descend on them in torrents (Job 20:28; NLT).

Verse 4:
*I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit (Romans 15:13; NLT).
*He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us (2 Corinthians 1:4; NLT).
*Yahweh, your God, is in the midst of you, a mighty one who will save. He will rejoice over you with joy. He will calm you in his love. He will rejoice over you with singing (Zephaniah 3:17; WEB).
*God has made everything beautiful for its own time. He has planted eternity in the human heart, but even so, people cannot see the whole scope of God’s work from beginning to end (Ecclesiastes 3:11; NLT).

Verse 5:
*God is love (1 John 4:8; 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 is Spirit (John 4:24; NLT).
*The angel replied, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the baby to be born will be holy, and he will be called the Son of God” (Luke 1:35; NLT).

Verse 6:
*Forgive us our sins (Luke 11:4; NLT).
*You will remember your sins and cover your mouth in silent shame when I forgive you of all that you have done. I, the Sovereign LORD, have spoken! (Ezekiel 16:63; NLT).

8.8.23: Gold (#2 of 2)

Ruth Kirk
Photo of an icon on my bedroom wall: a copy of “Christ the Redeemer”, by Andrei Rublev.

This prayer arrived very late last Sunday night, just as I was settling down to sleep. It comes a little closer to describing what I saw and experienced the same morning. If you would like to read that earlier attempt, which is called “Dazzled”, here is a link to it: https://wp.me/p45bCr-eQk.

NB: As I was writing today’s prayer, I realised that when working on the earlier piece mentioned above, I noted down some of the rhymes used in today’s verses. However, at that time I had no idea how they might come to be used.

I create light and darkness.
(Isaiah 45:7; CEV). 

Gold; deep shadow;
Dappled sun and shade –

Though my eyes are closed,
You are arrayed

 In light and darkness,
Mercy, love, and grace –

But, when you claim my soul,
I’ll see your face.

They will see his face.
(Revelation 22:4; NLT).

References 

Darkness and light are the same to you (Psalm 139:12; NLT). 

There he was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as the light (Matthew 17:2; NIV).

Darkness was your robe (Psalm 18:11; CEV). 

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

Now we see things imperfectly, like puzzling reflections in a mirror, but then we will see everything with perfect clarity (1 Corinthians 13:12; NLT). 

27.7.23: Help me

Ruth Kirk
Gadini: Pixabay.

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).

Lord,
Please help me, every day,
In all I feel, think, do and say,
To live in love, rejoice, and pray
For others.

Lord,
Please help me, through the years,
To walk with you, and face my fears,
Accepting sickness, loss and tears
With courage.

Lord,
Please help me: hear my plea
To live in you, and you in me,
Then all my sinfulness will flee
Your presence.

Lord,
Please help me: give me grace
To serve you till I’ve run my race,
Then I will see you face to face
Forever.

Now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then we will see face to face (1 Corinthians 13:12; NRSV).

24.7.23: God is Spirit

Ruth Kirk
Didgeman: Pixabay.

When I was praying yesterday morning, I saw the simultaneous Threeness and Oneness of God, all happening continually and eternally in a never-ending moment of nowness. However, I found this pretty well impossible to put into words, so today’s blog is sadly just a pale glimpse of what I was given; I did my best.

  • God is Spirit (John 4:24; NLT).
  • The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being (Hebrews 1:3; NIV).
  • Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father! (John 14:9; NLT).

God is Spirit – this we know,
And Jesus is God’s human face.

The Holy Ghost is their shared soul,
Uniting them in love and grace.

For God is Three, and God is One:
Our Origin, our life, our end;

Our Elohim, our Guide, our Judge;
Our Saviour, Advocate, and Friend.

  • The LORD would speak to Moses face to face, as one speaks to a friend (Exodus 33:11; NLT). 

Note: Elohim means: Supreme, Mighty One.

18.7.23: Bathed in light

Ruth Kirk
Lindsay_Jayne: Pixabay.

These verses arrived during a period of wordless prayer yesterday morning. I resisted breaking off to write them down for as long as I could, but in the end there was no choice. This piece was extremely difficult to put into words.

God is light (1 John 1:5; NLT).

1. I’m bathed in light,
In peace, and joy;
In your forgiveness
From above.

2. I sense your pity,
Grief and tears;
Your fire, your strength,
Your tender love.

3. I’m bathed in faith,
In truth, and grace,
As I receive
Your gentle touch.

4. You share my sorrow,
Loss, and pain –
Because you care for me
So much.

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).

References 

Verse 1:
🔻 The Lord is peace (Judges 6:24; NLT).
🔻 Everlasting joy will be yours (Isaiah 61:7; NIV).
🔻 He forgives all my sins (Psalm 103:3; NLT).
🔻 The LORD is God in heaven above and on the earth below. There is no other (Deuteronomy 4:3I; NIV).
🔻 Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God (Colossians 3:1; NIV).

Verse 2:
🔻 Yahweh is tenderness and pity (Psalm 103:8; NJB).
🔻 The Lord your God is a consuming fire (Deuteronomy 4:24; NIV).
🔻 The Lord Jehovah is everlasting strength (Isaiah 26:4; KJV).
🔻 God is love (1 John 4:8; NLT).

Verse 3:
🔻 It is by grace you have been saved, through faith – and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God (Ephesians 2:8; NIV).
🔻 The Spirit is truth (1 John 5:6; NKJV).
🔻 See, your king comes to you: he is upright and has overcome; gentle and seated on an ass (Zechariah 9:9; BBE).
🔻 I am humble and gentle at heart (Matthew 11:29; NLT).
🔻 No matter what their diseases were, the touch of his hand healed every one (Luke 4:40; NLT).

Verse 4:
🔻 In all their suffering he also suffered, and he personally rescued them. In his love and mercy he redeemed them. He lifted them up and carried them through all the years (Isaiah 63:9; NLT).
🔻 He loves us with unfailing love (Psalm 117:2; NLT).
🔻 God showed how much he loved us by sending his one and only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through him (1 John 4:9; NLT).
🔻 You care for people and animals alike, O LORD (Psalm 36:6; NLT).
🔻 The LORD is good, a refuge in times of trouble. He cares for those who trust in him (Nahum 1:7; NIV).
🔻 Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you (1 Peter 5:7; NLT).

The Rosary Hospital News

This Fiat Rosary uses a beautiful, recycled, mother-of-pearl centrepiece, alongside a lovely, old, silver medal from a kind donor to the Rosary Hospital. If you have any old rosary parts or broken rosaries you would like to donate for re-use, I would be delighted to hear from you via the comments button just below this caption.

8.7.23: I lift my hands

Ruth Kirk
CoppertopsRB: Pixabay.

These verses came to me whilst I was praying early yesterday morning. I saw the structure and essence of the whole piece at once, so my only task was to put it into words.

The illustration shows a woman (who I think is probably the Virgin Mary), lifting her hands in the Orans posture. If you would like to know more about this way of praying, I’ve written an article about it, which is available on this link: https://wp.me/p45bCr-bb8.

I lift my hands toward your holy sanctuary.
(Psalm 134:2; NLT).

1. I lift my hands to you in thanks,
My eyes, in faith,
My voice, in praise.

2. I lift my mind to you in peace,
My heart, in love,
My soul, ablaze.

3. I lift my life to you in joy,
My wish: to serve you
All my days.

4. I lift my prayers in childlike trust,
Because your grace
Alone, Lord, saves.

It is only by God’s grace that you have been saved!
(Ephesians 2:5; NLT).

References 

Verse 1
– Give thanks in all circumstances (1 Thessalonians 5:18; NIV).
– I lift my eyes to you, O God, enthroned in heaven (Psalm 123:1; NLT).
– Then Jesus said to the disciples, “Have faith in God” (Mark 11:22; NLT).
– Let everything that has breath praise the LORD (Psalm 150:6; NIV).

Verse 2
– You will live in peace (Isaiah 54:14; NLT).
– I love you, Lord; you are my strength (Psalm 18:1; NLT).
– They said to each other, “Didn’t our hearts burn within us as he talked with us on the road and explained the Scriptures to us?” (Luke 24:32; NLT). 

Verse 3
– You will live in joy and peace (Isaiah 55:12; NLT).
– Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy (1 Peter 1:8; NLT).
– Serve him with all your heart and with all your soul (Joshua 22:5; NIV).
– Worship the Lord your God and serve him only (Luke 4:8; NIV). 

Verse 4
– Anyone who doesn’t receive the Kingdom of God like a child will never enter it (Luke 18:17; NLT).
– The LORD protects those of childlike faith (Psalm 116:6; NLT).
– Don’t let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in me (John 14:1; NLT).
– We are all saved the same way, by the undeserved grace of the Lord Jesus (Acts 15:11; NLT).
– God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God (Ephesians 2:8; NLT).

21.6.23: Inward eyes

Ruth Kirk
kirahoffman, Pixabay.

Today’s prayer came to me during silent contemplation. It arrived very simply and easily, to my great gratitude and delight. The contrast with writing yesterday’s blog couldn’t be greater. Here is a link, in case you would like to check it out: An invitation: https://wp.me/p45bCr-epN.

People will look to their Creator and turn their eyes to the Holy One of Israel.
(Isaiah 17:7; NLT). 

I turn my inward eyes to you,
Creator of the human race;
In stillness, and in silence, Lord,
I gaze upon your face.

I join my mind, and heart, and soul
With yours, as I absorb your grace;
With childlike faith, and hope, and love,
I rest in your embrace.

The eternal God is your refuge, and his everlasting arms are under you. (Deuteronomy 33:27; NLT). 

10.5.23: Thank you

Ruth Kirk
Image by Izabela Rutkowska from Pixabay.

This prayer came to me quite some time ago, so today I’ve chosen it for my blog:

It is by grace you have been saved, through faith – and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God (Ephesians 2:8; NIV).

Thank you, Father, for your gifts
Of grace, and faith and inner peace.

Thank you for your only Son,
Sent down to us from heaven above.

Thank you for his narrow way,
His light and truth, which never cease.

Thank you for your mercy,
Your forgiveness and unfailing love.

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

26.3.23: My mind is still

Ruth Kirk
https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?search=Heaven+&title=Special:MediaSearch&go=Go&type=image

These verses came to me earlier this week when I was praying without words. I wanted so much to ignore them and keep on drawing nearer to God, but they were so insistent that I had to open my eyes and write down what I was being given:

Today you will be with me in paradise (Luke 23:43; NLT). 

Father,
While my mind is still,
Please let me rise
To you, in heaven.

Jesus,
While my eyes are closed,
Please let me see
Your shining face.

Spirit,
While my heart is hushed,
Please let me hear
Your wordless sighing.

Threefold God,
Though I am dust,
Please let me share
Your peace and grace.

May God the Father and Christ Jesus our Savior give you grace and peace (Titus 1:4; NLT).

References 

His face shone like the sun (Matthew 17:2; NLT). 

The Spirit himself intercedes for us with sighs too deep for words (Romans 8:26; RSV). 

I have ventured to speak to the Lord, although I am only dust and ashes (Genesis 18:27; NASB20).

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). 

And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness (2 Corinthians 12:9; KJV).

The Rosary Hospital

Yesterday I enjoyed improving two of my own rosaries, which have been awaiting my attention for the last few weeks. I feel much happier about them now.

30.1.23: Whatever God sends

Ruth Kirk

A few days ago I received my first ever personal glimpse into the concept of “vocation” (see https://wp.me/p45bCr-djN). You may, with complete justification, think me very ignorant about this. Anyway, yesterday, I was given a little more understanding.

I saw that there are many kinds of vocation, and that each is a gift from God to a particular individual. We can ignore, resent, resist, reject, or fight against our vocation. Alternatively, we can freely choose to accept and embrace it with joy, whatever it may be.

This made me wonder whether writing, running my website and being chronically ill have come together to form my vocation – a question which has never crossed my mind before. Then today’s blog began to flow, though it was extremely difficult to put into words. My apologies for the masculine pronouns; I just couldn’t make it work without them.

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).

Receive whatever God sends
With grace,
Whether it’s good or ill,
For the Lord brings blessings
From everything,
When we accept his will.

Embrace whatever God gives
With thanks,
Whether it’s bad or good,
For the Lord brings blessings
From everything,
Through his Son’s precious blood.

Give back whatever God takes
With love,
No matter how great the pain,
For the Lord brings blessings
From everything,
And he will restore us again.

You have allowed me to suffer much hardship, but you will restore me to life again (Psalm 71:20; NLT).

References 

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

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

When times are good, be happy; but when times are bad, consider this: God has made the one as well as the other (Ecclesiastes 7:14; NIV).

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).

God presented Jesus as the sacrifice for sin. People are made right with God when they believe that Jesus sacrificed his life, shedding his blood (Romans 3:23-5; NLT).

Everything we have has come from you, and we give you only what you first gave us (1 Chronicles 29:14; NLT).

Accept whatever he gives, and give whatever he takes with a big smile (Saint Mother Theresa).

The LORD gives, and the LORD takes away. May the name of the LORD be blessed! (Job 1:21; NET).

Walk in a manner worthy of the vocation to which you have been called: with all humility and meekness, with patience, supporting one another in charity (Ephesians 4:1-2; CPDV).

The Rosary Hospital 

Yesterday I was able to continue making my first rosary in the new way – by beginning in the middle of the circle. Hopefully I will finish it tomorrow: