This little prayer came out of a period of blissful wordlessness a few days ago:
I have other sheep, too, that are not in this sheepfold. I must bring them also. They will listen to my voice, and there will be one flock with one shepherd.
(John 10:16; NLT).
1. There’s one flock,
And one Shepherd,
One faith, hope and Lord;
One baptism only,
One love,
One accord.
2. There’s one mind,
And one body,
One heart, and one soul;
One God,
And one Spirit –
Whose hands make us whole.
His hands make whole (Job 5:18; KJV).
References
I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep (John 10:11; RSV).
There is one body and one Spirit, just as you have been called to one glorious hope for the future. There is one Lord, one faith, one baptism, and one God and Father, who is over all and in all and living through all (Ephesians 4:5-6; NLT).
I will restore to the peoples a pure language, that they all may call on the name of the LORD, to serve Him with one accord (Zephaniah 3:9; NKJV).
Therefore if there is any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and mercy, fulfill my joy by being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind (Philippians 2:1-2; NKJV).
I woke early today, and immediately began to pray about the dreadful situation in Ukraine and Russia. Within a few minutes, these verses started to flow, and I had to “break off” from praying in order to write them down.
As I wrote, I began to realise that perhaps I wasn’t really “breaking off” at all, because the act of struggling to put what I saw into words was simply a continuation of my prayer. I’ve seen this intellectually for a long time, but today I saw and felt its truth – for a short while, at least.
This is the fastest I have ever written a prayer, then published it immediately, but I have been driven to do so today, so it’s not as polished as usual. Please forgive my shortcomings: I will continue to develop this piece during the day.
You will hear of wars and threats of wars, but don’t panic. Yes, these things must take place, but the end won’t follow immediately.
(Matthew 24:6; NLT).
If only you had paid attention to my commandments! Your peace would have been like a river, and your justice would have been like the waves of the sea. (Isaiah 48:18; CPDV).
1. Keep praying for peace,
And never give up –
Though all looks hopeless,
Never give up.
2. Keep pleading for justice, And never give in –
Though it seems useless,
Never give in.
3. Keep begging for truth,
And never give way –
Though it seems futile,
Never give way.
4. Lord, You have plans That we can’t understand – Thy Kingdom come,
And thy will be done.
May your Kingdom come soon. May your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven. (Matthew 6:10; NLT).
Give judgment in your gates for truth, justice, and peace.
(Zechariah 8:17; NKJV).
References
Verses 1-3: Jesus told his disciples a story to show that they should always pray and never give up (Luke 18:1; NLT).
Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for (Matthew 7:7; NLT).
The way of peace they have not known, and there is no justice in their ways; They have made themselves crooked paths; whoever takes that way shall not know peace. Therefore justice is far from us, nor does righteousness overtake us; we look for light, but there is darkness! For brightness, but we walk in blackness!(Isaiah 59:8-9; NKJV).
I will wait quietly for the coming day when disaster will strike the people who invade us. Even though the fig trees have no blossoms, and there are no grapes on the vines; even though the olive crop fails, and the fields lie empty and barren; even though the flocks die in the fields, and the cattle barns are empty, yet I will rejoice in the LORD! I will be joyful in the God of my salvation! The Sovereign LORD is my strength! (Habakkuk 3:16-19; NLT).
Verse 4: “I know the plans I have for you,” says the LORD. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. In those days when you pray, I will listen. If you look for me wholeheartedly, you will find me” (Jeremiah 29:11-13; NLT).
God is greater than we can understand (Job 36:26; NLT).
Just as you cannot understand the path of the wind or the mystery of a tiny baby growing in its mother’s womb, so you cannot understand the activity of God, who does all things (Ecclesiastes 11:5; NLT).
He went away a second time and prayed, “My Father, if it is not possible for this cup to be taken away unless I drink it, may your will be done” (Matthew 26:42; NIV).
Don’t you think God will surely give justice to his chosen people who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off? I tell you, he will grant justice to them quickly! But when the Son of Man returns, how many will he find on the earth who have faith? (Luke 18:7-8; NLT).
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).
This blog came directly out of my personal, spoken prayers yesterday:
If only you had paid attention to my commandments! Your peace would have been like a river, and your justice would have been like the waves of the sea (Isaiah 48:18; CPDV).
I pray for peace and justice, Lord,
Throughout this troubled world,
That everyone will listen,
And your voice, alone, be heard.
I ask for deep repentance, Lord,
Throughout this troubled world,
That every heart will turn to you,
And every conscience stir.
I beg for care and kindness, Lord,
Throughout this troubled world,
That selfishness will be renounced,
And sharing be preferred.
I plead for hope and healing, Lord, In every human soul,
That all will learn to live in love,
For then we will be whole.
God is love, and all who live in love live in God, and God lives in them (1 John 4:16; NLT).
Seeing this prayer in my mind and heart brought a gentle end to a wonderful time of light, silence and peace last Sunday. Writing and referencing it was a labour of love.
The Lord is peace (Judges 6:24; NLT).
1. You are peace, and you are love,
On earth, below, in heaven above.
You are fire, and bread, and wine,
Our narrow way, our living vine.
2. You are pity, Shepherd King,
You shield us all beneath your wing.
You are Spirit, truth and light,
The resurrection, and the life.
3. You are Christ, our staff and rod,
So kind, so good, our Lord and God.
Teacher, you forgive and bless,
For you are strength, and tenderness.
4. Yahweh, Holy Ghost, and Son,
The One in Three, the Three in One,
Our faith, our hope, our soul, our call: You are God, our All in all.
God will be all in all (1 Corinthians 15:28; TIB).
References
Verse 1 God is love (1 John 4:8; NLT).
The Lord your God is a consuming fire (Deuteronomy 4:24; NIV).
I am the living bread that came down from from heaven (John 6:51; NLT).
Jesus told him, “I am the way” (John 14:6; NLT).
I am the vine (John 15:5; NLT).
Verse 2 Yahweh is …pity (Psalm 103:8; NJB).
I am the good shepherd (John 10:11; NLT).
You are my King and my God! (Psalm 44:4; NLT).
I will hide beneath the shadow of your wings (Psalm 57:1; NLT).
The LORD God is our sun and our shield (Psalm 84:11; NLT). |
God is Spirit (John 4:24; NLT).
The Spirit is truth (1 John 5:6; NKJV).
God is light (1 John 1:5; NLT).
Jesus told her, “I am the resurrection and the life” (John 11:25; NLT).
Verse 3 Jesus is the Christ (1 John 5:1; NLT).
Your rod and your staff protect and comfort me (Psalm 23:4; NLT).
How kind the LORD is! How good he is! (Psalm 116:5; NLT).
“My Lord and my God!” Thomas exclaimed (John 20:28; NLT).
You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and you are right, because that’s what I am (John 13:13; NLT).
He forgives all my sins (Psalm 103:3; NLT).
How he blesses them! (Psalm 107:38; NLT).
The Lord Jehovah is everlasting strength (Isaiah 26:4; KJV).
Yahweh is tenderness (Psalm 103:8; NJB).
Verse 4 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost (Matthew 28:19; KJV).
The LORD our God, the LORD is one (Deuteronomy 6:4; NIV).
Three things will last forever – faith, hope, and love (1 Corinthians 13:13; NLT).
The LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul (Genesis 2:7; KJV).
We keep on praying for you, asking our God to enable you to live a life worthy of his call (2 Thessalonians 1:11; NLT).
You are our God! (Hosea 2:23; NLT).
This prayer arrived spontaneously yesterday, whilst I was praying for the world:
This is my commandment: Love each other in the same way I have loved you (John 15:12; NLT).
Love does no harm to a neighbour. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law (Romans 13:10; NIV).
Lord,
I pray for love Throughout the world:
In every country, home,
Mind, soul, and heart.
But if we cannot love,
I pray for peace,
So everyone can live,
And play their part.
And if we can’t make peace,
I pray for truth,
Then all our hurtful lies
Will end, at last.
And if we can’t have truth, I pray for hope,
Until our earthly suffering
Has passed.
Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world (John 16:33; NLT).
References
This letter is from Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus, appointed by the command of God our Savior and Christ Jesus, who gives us hope (1 Timothy 1:1; NLT).
We are saved by hope (Romans 8:24; WEB).
The eyes of all look to you in hope (Psalm 145:15; NLT).
A reading: Romans 8:23-5; NLT.
We believers also groan, even though we have the Holy Spirit within us as a foretaste of future glory, for we long for our bodies to be released from sin and suffering. We, too, wait with eager hope for the day when God will give us our full rights as his adopted children, including the new bodies he has promised us. We were given this hope when we were saved. (If we already have something, we don’t need to hope for it. But if we look forward to something we don’t yet have, we must wait patiently and confidently).
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).
Godislove (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.
Stations of the Cross in Althofen; painted by Consuelo Mels-Colloredo, 1983. Neithan90, Wikimedia.
Yesterday I felt very tired, which had its up-side, as I was able to spend time putting the morning’s notes into words whilst resting. The lines in italics form a prayer within a prayer:
O Lord, you alone are my hope (Psalm 71:5; NLT).
My hope, my way,
My light each day: I want to do your bidding;
My peace, my Lamb,
My great “I AM”: For you are God’s dear Son.
My truth, my life,
My purchase-price: You, Lord, are my salvation; My strength, my blood,
My longed-for love: May you and I be one.
My Lord, my God,
My staff, my rod: My body is your temple;
My Guide, my Friend,
My start, my end: My mind is yours, Lord, too.
My bread, my wine,
My living vine: My heart is yours forever;
My Shepherd King,
My everything: My soul belongs to you.
The LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul (Genesis 2:7; KJV).
Our bodies will return to the dust of the earth, and the breath of life will go back to God, who gave it to us (Ecclesiastes 12:7; GNT).
