Category: Holy Spirit

4.6.23: God

Ruth Kirk
The Trinity in an Initial B, Master of the Codex Rossiano, Sienese, pobably 1387.

NB: Just after posting this prayer, I looked at my calendar and discovered that today is Trinity Sunday. This came as a complete surprise, and made me smile broadly, rejoicing in God’s astonishing goodness and power!

Go and make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit (Matthew 28:19; NIV).

God is three
And God is one:
Father, Spirit,
Much-loved Son.

God is one,
And God is three:
Love, in perfect
Unity.

Love …is the bond of perfect unity (Colossians 3:14; BSB).

God is love (1 John 4:8; NLT). 

References

God said, “Let us make human beings in our image, to be like us” (Genesis 1:26; NLT).

The LORD our God, the LORD is one (Deuteronomy 6:4; NIV).

All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ (2 Corinthians 1:3; NLT).

God is Spirit (John 4:24; NLT).

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form, and void; and darkness on the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters (Genesis 1:1-2; NKJV).

In the beginning the Word already existed. The Word was with God, and the Word was God. He existed in the beginning with God. God created everything through him, and nothing was created except through him. The Word gave life to everything that was created, and his life brought light to everyone (John 1:1-4; NLT).

Look at my servant, whom I strengthen. He is my chosen one, who pleases me. I have put my Spirit upon him (Isaiah 42:1; NLT).

This is My beloved Son (Luke 9:35; NKJV).

The Father and I are one (John 10:30; NLT).

A short reading: Genesis 18:1-3,33; CSB.

The LORD appeared to Abraham at the oaks of Mamre while he was sitting at the entrance of his tent during the heat of the day. He looked up, and he saw three men standing near him. When he saw them, he ran from the entrance of the tent to meet them, bowed to the ground, and said, “My lord, if I have found favor with you, please do not go on past your servant… When the LORD had finished speaking with Abraham, he departed, and Abraham returned to his place.

12.5.23: No need to study

Ruth Kirk
Image by Ramalekshmi Rajamanickam from Pixabay.

Today’s prayer is the second of a linked pair which came to me last Wednesday morning. For those who are interested, the first part is called “My way”, and here is a link to it: https://wp.me/p45bCr-e39.

Much study wears you out (Ecclesiastes 12:12; NLT).

No need to study,
No need to wait,
No need to doubt, Lord:
You are my faith.

No need to waver,
No need to quote,
No need to fear, Lord:
You are my hope.

Father, around me,
Jesus, above,
Spirit, within me:
You are my love.

Three things will last forever – faith, hope, and love – and the greatest of these is love (1 Corinthians 13:13; NLT).

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

References 

There is …one God and Father, who is over all and in all and living through all (Ephesians 4:5-6; NLT).

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). .

We believers also groan, even though we have the Holy Spirit within us as a foretaste of future glory (Romans 8:23; NLT). 

I am my beloved’s and my beloved is mine (Song of Songs 2:16; NIV).

I jumped up to open the door for my love (Song of Songs 5:5; NLT).

A reading from Psalm 139:5-10; NLT.

You go before me and follow me. You place your hand of blessing on my head. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too great for me to understand! 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.

27.4.23: You are One

Ruth Kirk
Sunrise, on Pixabay

Given how I feel at present, I’m particularly thankful for this short blog, which arrived whilst I was half-asleep.

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

Yahweh:
Father God, and Mother;

Christ:
My Shepherd, Teacher, Brother;

Holy Ghost:
My Sister, Lover –

You are One:
I need no other.

The Lord our God, the Lord is one (Mark 12:29; NIV). 

References 

God:  Our Father in heaven, may your name be kept holy (Matthew 6:9; NLT).

All creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time (Romans 8:22; NLT).

I will proclaim God’s decree – YHWH said to me: “You are my own; I’ve given birth to you today” (Psalm 2:7; TIB). 

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

You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and you are right, because that’s what I am (John 13:13; NLT). 

Jesus’ mother and brothers came to see him. They stood outside and sent word for him to come out and talk with them. There was a crowd sitting around Jesus, and someone said, “Your mother and your brothers are outside asking for you.” Jesus replied, “Who is my mother? Who are my brothers?” Then he looked at those around him and said, “Look, these are my mother and brothers. Anyone who does God’s will is my brother and sister and mother” (Mark 3:31-5; NLT). 

Holy Ghost:  Say to wisdom, “You are my sister” (Proverbs 7:4; NIV).

God is Spirit (John 4:24; NLT).

The Spirit of the Lord will rest on him –  the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding, the Spirit of counsel and of might, the Spirit of the knowledge and fear of the Lord (Isaiah 11:2; NIV).

I am my lover’s, and my lover is mine (Song of Songs 6:3; NLT). 

Oneness:  Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength (Deuteronomy 6:4-5; NIV).

A reading: Mark 12:28-31; NIV

One of the teachers of the law came and heard them debating. Noticing that Jesus had given them a good answer, he asked him, “Of all the commandments, which is the most important?”

“The most important one,” answered Jesus, “is this: ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.”

12.4.23: Your names

Ruth Kirk

 

This prayer arrived yesterday morning after a night disturbed by several bad dreams:

I will praise God’s name (Psalm 69:30; NLT). 

Yahweh, Jesus, Paraclete,
Your names, Lord, make my joy complete:
My God, my Shepherd King, my Friend,
My source, my purpose, and my end.

Yahweh, Jesus, Paraclete,
No other words, Lord, taste as sweet:
My flesh and blood, mind, heart and soul
Belong to you, my highest goal.

My goal is to know him and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of his sufferings, being conformed to his death, assuming that I will somehow reach the resurrection from among the dead (Philippians 3:10; CSB).

References 

Your joy will be complete (John 16:24; NIV). 

How sweet your words taste to me; they are sweeter than honey (Psalm 119:103: NLT). 

We belong to God (1 John 4:6; NLT). 

You belong to Christ Jesus (1 Corinthians 1:4; NLT).

You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit (Romans 8:9; NET).

You belong to him in body and spirit (Malachi 2:15; NIV).

The Rosary Hospital 

This is the mini-rosary I made yesterday, now trimmed and finished. The £1.oo coin shows how small it is:

Mini recycled rosary

13.3.23: Help me

Ruth Kirk

As soon as I start to surface from sleep, the Lord’s Prayer is always my first prayer of the day. Straight after saying it a day or two ago, these verses arrived very insistently:

The Spirit [comes to us and] helps us in our weakness. We do not know what prayer to offer or how to offer it as we should, but the Spirit Himself [knows our need and at the right time] intercedes on our behalf with sighs and groanings too deep for words (Romans 8:26; AMP). 

O Holy Spirit,
Help me now to pray,
And then to walk with you, Lord,
All day long.

Please sigh for me,
And plead on my behalf,
For though my prayers are weak, Lord,
Yours are strong.

My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness (2 Corinthians 12:9; NLT).

References

I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever (John 14:16; ESV).

When I am weak, then I am strong (2 Corinthians 12:10; NLT).

8.3.23: Pray within us

Ruth Kirk

Yesterday should have been a busy day, but I woke up with the worst migraine I’ve had for a very long time. Both my appointments had to be cancelled, and I stayed in bed all day. I was still given something new to write, but was only able to note it down, ready to be worked on when I’m feeling rather better. Fortunately, I already had today’s prayer ready to share with you today:

The Spirit helps us in our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but that very Spirit intercedes with sighs too deep for words …

Holy Spirit,
Pray within us:
Plead on our behalf
For others.

Holy Spirit,
Pray within us:
Ask for peace
In every soul.

Holy Spirit,
Pray within us:
Beg that all
Will grow like Jesus.

Holy Spirit,
Pray within us:
Weep till every heart
Is whole.

… And God, who searches the heart, knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God (Romans 8:26-7; NRSV).

The Rosary Hospital

To my delight, yesterday I received a parcel posted by a kind friend last January. I had long given up all hope of its arrival, and suspect that she had, too. It contained pieces of broken rosaries for me to recycle. As I handled them I could sense how well-used they had been, as if they were saturated with prayer. Hopefully, I will soon be able to start incorporating their components into new rosaries. Meanwhile, here is a photo of a simple prayer circlet I made for someone the day before:

26.2.23: I’ve hardly prayed

Ruth Kirk

Over the last week, prayer has become more and more difficult for me. I can repeat a few set prayers and offer brief intercessions and thanks, but my mind, heart and soul feel empty, and I am deeply weary.

So much has happened (and continues to happen), to my family, to others near and far, and to me, that I have few emotions left, and little sense of God’s presence. Overstretched and worn out, I’m unable to respond fully to fresh events. However, suffering continues actively, both for others and for myself, so I must continue to face it and live with it, until I start to feel again. 

He awakes, and his soul is still empty (Isaiah 29:8; NKJV). 

I’ve hardly prayed these past few days.
I’ve scarcely praised at all.
O Holy Spirit, help me, please,
And listen to my call.

I’ve hardly prayed these last few days.
My words are only dust.
O Holy Spirit, help me
To receive God’s love with trust.

I cannot sleep; nor can I write.
My mind is bare and dry.
Please stir my heart and soul,
So I can hear your gentle sigh.

I cannot work; nor can I rest.
My mind is full of pain.
Please heal my heart and soul,
So I can hear your voice again.

“Go out and stand before me on the mountain,” the LORD told him. And as Elijah stood there, the LORD passed by, and a mighty windstorm hit the mountain. It was such a terrible blast that the rocks were torn loose, but the LORD was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake. And after the earthquake there was a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire. And after the fire there was the sound of a gentle whisper (1 Kings 19:11-12; NLT).

References 

Jesus said, “Let’s go off by ourselves to a quiet place and rest awhile.” He said this because there were so many people coming and going that Jesus and his apostles didn’t even have time to eat. So they left by boat for a quiet place, where they could be alone. But many people recognized them and saw them leaving, and people from many towns ran ahead along the shore and got there ahead of them (Mark 6:30-33; NLT). 

Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light (Matthew 11:28-30; KJV).

Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong (Ephesians 3L17; NLT).

Lord, be merciful to me; heal my soul (Psalm 41:4; NKJV).

I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will remove your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh (Ezekiel 36:26; BSB). 

The Spirit [comes to us and] helps us in our weakness. We do not know what prayer to offer or how to offer it as we should, but the Spirit Himself [knows our need and at the right time] intercedes on our behalf with sighs and groanings too deep for words (Romans 8:26; AMP). 

22.2.23: Holy Spirit

Ruth Kirk

Today’s prayer arrived last Friday morning:

The Spirit helps us in our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but that very Spirit intercedes with sighs too deep for words. And God, who searches the heart, knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God (Romans 8:26-7; NRSV).

Holy Spirit,
Pray within me:
Pray on my behalf for others.   

Holy Spirit,
Pray within me:
Pray that I’ll grow more like Christ.

Holy Spirit,
Pray within me:
Saying, “Yes”, with me to sickness,

Thanking God
For all he sends:
My life, a willing sacrifice.

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

Everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I could gain Christ and become one with him (Philippians 3:8-9; NLT). 

31.1.23: When I ask

Ruth Kirk

When praying with my circlet, I’m learning to wait in silence on each new bead. Once I can see what it holds, I pray with it until the prayer is complete. Then I let it go, and move on to the next, as described in today’s prayer:

The Spirit also helps us in our weakness; for we do not know what prayers to offer nor in what way to offer them (Romans 8:26; WNT). 

Jesus,

When I ask your help,
A prayer awaits me in each bead:
All I have to do is listen
For your Holy Spirit’s lead.

Some hold silence, inspiration,
Intercession, thanks, or praise;
Some are full of light and warmth,
Of our shared love’s united gaze.

So I say the words you offer,
See all I am meant to see:
What a joy it is to know
That every day you care for me.

May I speak the words you give,
And learn what I am meant to learn,
Living, walking in your Spirit
Here, on earth, till I return.

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

References 

I will put my Spirit in you and you will live (Ezekiel 37:14; NIV). 

I will give you treasures hidden in the darkness – secret riches. I will do this so you may know that I am the LORD, the God of Israel, the one who calls you by name (Isaiah 45:3; NLT). 

Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion (Ephesians 6:18; NLT). 

Listen to God’s voice (Deuteronomy 26:17; TIB). 

The LORD is my strength and shield. I trust him with all my heart. He helps me, and my heart is filled with joy. I burst out in songs of thanksgiving (Psalm 28:7; NLT).

He cares for those who trust in him (Nahum 1:7; NIV). 

Don’t you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? (1 Corinthians 6:19; NLT). 

God has given us his Spirit as proof that we live in him and he in us (1 John 4:13; NLT). 

If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit (Galatians 5:25; KJV).

22.1.23: Help me to pray

Ruth Kirk

Last Friday I was praying sleepily with my circlet, saying my favourite set morning prayers. As soon as I reached the first cross-bead, and asked the Holy Spirit to help me to pray, today’s couplets shot into my mind. All I had to do was to write them down.

The Spirit helps us in our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with sighs too deep for words (Romans 8:26; RSV). 

Holy Spirit,
Help me to pray.

Help me with every word
I say.

Help me with all I think,
And do:

Help me to live
In you.

If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit (Galatians 5:25; KJV). 

God has given us his Spirit as proof that we live in him and he in us (1 John 4:13; NLT).

Stop Press:

Whilst I was waiting for the kettle to boil, an idea burst into my mind: I can put small sticky notes in places where I do specific tasks, during which it’s easy (and safe), to pray. Here are a few examples: next to the kettle, on the shower-screen, by the sink, at the foot of the stairs, on the frame of a favourite icon, on a work-top, and so on. Each note will show the name of one person or cause I want to pray for. 

As I begin each task I will see the note, and be reminded to pray for that person whilst doing that specific job. The person to be prayed for will quickly come to be associated with the task, so praying for them will become doubly easy to remember.

Sticky notes are simple to put up, remove and change. Hopefully this will help to stop my intercessions seeming like an insurmountable list to be waded through all at once. Instead, they will be spread out over the course of the day.

The Rosary Hospital 

Yesterday someone asked for a prayer-circlet for a member of their family. I offered to include a cross in it, which worked out well. Now I’m planning to make a similar one for myself.