Category: Hope

Worship

Ruth Kirk

Then the disciples worshiped him. “You really are the Son of God!” they exclaimed (Matthew 14:33; NLT).

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

I worship you, my Counsellor;
The Son of Man: my faith, outpoured;
My guide, my staff, my shield, my sword –
My way.

I honour you, my Advocate;
The Chosen One: my hope, adored;
My Shepherd King, my light, my Lord –
My truth.

I bow to you, my Prince of Peace;
The Son of God: my love, restored;
My Saviour, and my great reward –
My life.

Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life” (John 14:6; NLT).

Because you trusted me, I will give you your life as a reward. I will rescue you and keep you safe. I, the LORD, have spoken! (Jeremiah 39:18; NLT).

References

For a child is born to us, a son is given to us. The government will rest on his shoulders. And he will be called: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6; NLT).

The Son of Man is Lord (Matthew 12:8; NLT).

I will send you the Advocate – the Spirit of truth (John 15:26; NLT).

This is my Son, my Chosen One. Listen to him (Luke 9:35; NLT).

And as they went, Jesus met them and greeted them. And they ran to him, grasped his feet, and worshiped him (Matthew 28:9; NLT).

 

Bad news!

Ruth Kirk

This blog has only just come to me, and I knew I had to post it as quickly as possible. I could work on it for hours, trying to improve it, but I need to accept it just as it arrived. I continue to pray for you all. With love from Ruth xxx

Does not the Most High send both calamity and good? (Lamentations 3:38; NLT).

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

Bad news! Calamity! Disaster!
A blow. A shock. A loss.
Grief. Distress. Despair.

Unfair! Unfortunate! Unmanageable!
Distressing. Exhausting. Annoying.
A trial. A challenge. An opportunity.

God will restore my soul!
Faith. Hope. Love.
Rejoicing. Prayer. Thanks.

Always be joyful. Never stop praying. Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus (1 Thessalonians 5:16-16; NIV).

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

References

As for me, if I am bereaved, I am bereaved (Genesis 43:14; NIV).

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).

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

He restores my soul (Psalm 23:3; NKJV).

We know that 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).

Utter stillness

Ruth Kirk

Go forth, and stand upon the mount before the LORD. And, behold, the LORD passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the mountains, and brake in pieces the rocks before the LORD; but the LORD was not in the wind: and after the wind an earthquake; but the LORD was not in the earthquake: And after the earthquake a fire; but the LORD was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice (1 Kings 19:11-12; KJV).

Utter stillness;
Utter calm:
You’re my God,
My spirit’s balm.

Total silence;
Total peace:
You’re my soul,
My Great High Priest.

Perfect mercy;
Perfect light:
You’re my way,
My truth, my life.

In my body;
In my blood:
You’re my faith,
My hope, my love.

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).

 

As for me…

Ruth Kirk

Fear the LORD and serve him wholeheartedly. Put away forever the idols your ancestors worshiped when they lived beyond the Euphrates River and in Egypt. Serve the LORD alone. But if you refuse to serve the LORD, then choose today whom you will serve. Would you prefer the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates? Or will it be the gods of the Amorites in whose land you now live? But as for me and my family, we will serve the LORD (Joshua 24:14-15 NLT).

As for me, I’ll call to you,
And I’ll declare your praise.

As for me, I’ll tell your deeds,
And try hard not to sin.

As for me, I’ll laud your strength,
And speak to you direct.

As for me, I’ll cling to hope,
And trust in you alone.

As for me, I’m in your hands,
And look to you for help.

As for me, I’ll reach your house,
Where I’ll behold your face.

As for me, I will come into thy house in the multitude of thy mercy: and in thy fear will I worship toward thy holy temple (Psalm 5:7; KJV).

As for me, I will behold thy face (Psalm 17:15; KJV).

References

As for me, I call to God, and the LORD saves me (Psalm 55:16; NIV).

As for me, I will declare this forever; I will sing praise to the God of Jacob (Psalm 75:9; NIV).

As for me, I will always proclaim what God has done (Psalm 75:9; NLT).

As for me, I will certainly not sin against the LORD by ending my prayers for you (1 Samuel 12:23; NLT).

As for me, I will sing about your power (Psalm 59:16; NLT).

As for me, I would speak directly to the Almighty (Job 13:3; NLT).

As for me, I will always have hope (Psalm 71:14; NIV).

As for me, I trust in the LORD (Psalm 31:6; NIV).

As for me, I am in your hands – do with me as you think best (Jeremiah 26:14; NLT).

As for me, I am poor and needy; come quickly to me, O God. You are my help and my deliverer (Psalm 70:5; NIV).

 

Coming out as face blind at church

Ruth Kirk

Today I came out as face blind at the church I left several months ago. I stopped going because I couldn’t cope with the anxiety of not being able to recognise other people, or connect their names with their details.

It went wonderfully well! I haven’t even got a migraine yet (four hours later), though that could easily happen a bit later in the day after making such a huge effort. With the Vicar’s advance permission I gave a two-minute talk just before the service started, explaining the problem, and asking people to help me. NB: Asking for help has always been an absolute no-no for me, as I expected to be refused, and to be despised, or hated, for having asked.

Everything changed for me immediately. Even during the service I had a sense of belonging which was entirely new.

After the service, several people approached me, introducing themselves with their names in the kindest and most friendly way possible. I joined in with the coffee, rather than silently sloping off back home to avoid any further risk of social contact. I even had a couple of lovely chats that didn’t depend solely on me getting other people to talk about themselves without me ever having to use their name, or know who they were. NB: This is one of my standard coping techniques in any group. I now realise that it is a combination of pretending, faking and avoidance.

When I was ready to go, I went to stand in front of the altar, then touched it whilst expressing my huge relief, joy and gratitude at having made a fresh start at church.

The moment I laid my hand on the cloth I was flooded, both inside and out, by an incredibly bright light, and was no longer aware of anything around me. It wasn’t frightening – just completely unexpected, amazing, and very beautiful.

I don’t know how long this experience lasted – perhaps about 20 seconds, or a little more. When I lifted my hand off the altar, all my perceptions went back to being normal (for me!) Then I came away from the church with fresh hope, feeling glad to be alive.

With love to you all, and my deepest thanks for all the likes and comments you leave,
From Ruth xxxx

 

Peace and justice

Ruth Kirk

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).

We can’t have peace
Without justice.
We can’t have war
Without blood.

We can’t have choice
Without fairness.
We can’t have God
Without love.

We can’t have truth
Without honour.
We can’t have hope
Without faith.

We can’t have life
Without sorrow.
We can’t have God
Without grace.

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).

References

Dear friends, let us continue to love one another, for love comes from God. Anyone who loves is a child of God and knows God. But anyone who does not love does not know God, for God is love (1 John 4:7; NLT).

Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows (John 16:33; NLT).

The wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God [that is, His remarkable, overwhelming gift of grace to believers] is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord (Romans 6:23; AMP).

 

We trust in you

Ruth Kirk

It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper (Comforter, Advocate, Intercessor-Counselor, Strengthener, Standby) will not come to you; but if I go, I will send Him (the Holy Spirit) to you [to be in close fellowship with you] (John 16:7; AMP).

We trust in you, our Advocate:
Our truth, our God,
Our shining light.

We hope in you, our Counsellor:
Our help, our fire,
Our guide through life.

We dwell in you, our Comforter:
Our faith, our peace,
Our only good.

We pray in you, God’s Holy Ghost:
The Spirit of
Our Saviour’s love.

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

References

We know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love (Romans 5:5; NLT).

The Spirit, too, comes to help us in our weakness. For we don’t know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit expresses our plea with groanings too deep for words. And God, who knows everything in our hearts, knows perfectly well what the Spirit is saying, because her intercessions for God’s holy people are made according to the mind of God (Romans 8:26-7; TIB).

 

Feeling abandoned

Ruth Kirk

At about three o’clock, Jesus called out with a loud voice, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” which means “My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?” (Matthew 27:46; NLT).

Lord Jesus,
Even when you felt
Completely abandoned by God,
We know you still had perfect faith
In Yahweh’s existence and love.

We know this because
At the moment of your death,
You cried out:
“Father, into your hands
I commit my spirit.”

Lord Jesus,
May our faith, and hope, and love
Be just like yours:
For love is as strong as death –
Beyond all time!

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 23:46; NIV).

References

Place me like a seal over your heart, like a seal on your arm; for love is as strong as death, its jealousy unyielding as the grave. It burns like blazing fire, like a mighty flame. Many waters cannot quench love; rivers cannot sweep it away (Song of Songs 8:6-7; NIV).

Jesus said to the disciples, “Have faith in God” (Mark 11:22; NLT).

Don’t let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in me (John 14:1; NLT).

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

No one is abandoned by the Lord forever (Lamentations 3:31; NLT).

Jesus replied, “I assure you, today you will be with me in paradise” (Luke 23:43; NLT).

Behold, I am with you every day, even unto the end of time (Matthew 28:20; ABPE).

 

God’s will (with thanks to A.H.)

Ruth Kirk

Mary said, “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; may it be done to me according to your word.” And the angel left her (Luke 1:38; AMP).

I pray to you, O Holy One,
As Mary did, so long ago:
May it be done to me, my God,
According to your word.

I beg of you, O Holy One,
As Jesus did, so long ago:
Please take this cup away, and yet
Your will be done, not mine.

I cling to you, O Holy One,
With mind and heart; soul, flesh, and blood:
For you’re my way, my truth, my life;
My faith; my hope; my love.

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

References

The high and lofty one who lives in eternity, the Holy One, says this: “I live in the high and holy place with those whose spirits are contrite and humble. I restore the crushed spirit of the humble and revive the courage of those with repentant hearts” (Isaiah 57:15; NLT).

Father, if you are willing, please take this cup of suffering away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine (Luke 22:42; NLT).

I cling to you; your strong right hand holds me securely (Psalm 63:8; NLT).

Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me” (John 14:6; NLT).

 

You are my body

Ruth Kirk

YHWH is our strength and our courage; you have become our deliverance. You are YHWH we will praise you; the God of our ancestors – we exalt you! (Exodus 15:2; TIB).

You are my body,
My mind, heart, and soul;
My Breath, my Creator,
My Friend.

You are my comfort,
My faith, hope, and love;
My life, my beginning,
My end.

I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us (Philippians 3:13-14; NLT).

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