Category: humanity

Reach out to Christ

Ruth Kirk

Image: Sasin Tipchai, Pixabay

💛

He said to Thomas, “Put your finger here; see my hands.
Reach out your hand and put it in my side.
Stop doubting and believe” (John 20:27; NIV).

1. Reach out to Christ.
Take his way as your own.
Have faith in his teaching,
And make his praise known.

2. Reach out to Christ.
Take his truth as your guide.
Then trust in his mercy,
And walk by his side.

3. Reach out to Christ.
Take his life as your light.
Love all those you contact,
And dwell in his sight.

4. Give him your body,
Your heart, soul, and mind –
Then follow him gladly,
And serve humankind.

💛

References

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

A person is made right with God by faith in Jesus Christ (Galatians 2:16; NLT).

Make known his praise around the world (Isaiah 12:5; NLT).

2. Jesus told him, “I am […] the truth” (John 14:6; NLT).

When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth (John 16:13; NLT).

I trust in the mercy of God forever and ever (Psalm 52:8; NKJV).

3. Jesus told him, “I am […] the life” (John 14:6; NLT).

His life brought light to everyone (John 1:4; NLT).

Don’t just pretend to love others. Really love them (Romans 12:9; NLT).

Pure and genuine religion in the sight of God the Father means caring for orphans and widows in their distress, and refusing to let the world corrupt you (James 1:27; NLT).

The eye of the Lord is on those who fear him (Psalm 33:18; NKJV).

4. Love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your strength, and all your mind (Luke 10:27; NLT).

If any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross, and follow me (Matthew 16:24; NLT).

You welcome those who gladly do good, who follow godly ways (Isaiah 64:5; NLT).

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

I glimpse you

Ruth Kirk

Image: Christoph Schütz, Pixabay

❤️

1. Lord,
I glimpse you
Sparkling in the dew;
In land and sea,
And in the heavens, too.

2. Lord,
I hear your footsteps
In the trees;
Your voice in storms,
Your whisper in the breeze.

3. Lord,
I see you shine
From every face;
Your love reflected
In the human race.

❤️

References

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

Your life-giving light will fall like dew on your people (Isaiah 26:19; NLT).

I see God moving across the deserts from Edom, the Holy One coming from Mount Paran. His brilliant splendour fills the heavens and the earth is filled with his praise (Habakkuk 3:3; NLT).

2. When you hear a sound like marching feet in the tops of the poplar trees, be on the alert! (2 Samuel 5:24; NLT).

The voice of the Lord twists mighty oaks and strips the forests bare (Psalm 29:9; NLT).

After the fire there was the sound of a gentle whisper (1 Kings 19:12; NLT).

3. God shines in glorious radiance (Psalm 50:2; NLT).

God created human beings in his own image (Genesis 1:27; NLT).

All of us who have had that veil removed can see and reflect the glory of the Lord (2 Corinthians 3:18; NLT).

Christ is all that matters, and he lives in all of us (Colossians 3:11; NLT).

Open our eyes

Ruth Kirk

Image: Miriam Zilles, Pixabay

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

Lord,

1. Open our eyes,
So we see your face
In all we greet.

2. Open our minds,
So we know your pain
In those we meet.

3. Open our hearts,
So we share your love
With all mankind.

4. Open our souls,
So we cease, at last, Lord,
To be blind.

 

Image: Andi Graf, Pixabay

References

1. “Lord,” they said to him, “open our eyes” (Matthew 20:33; CSB).

Let me see your face (Song of Songs 2:14; NLT).

Christ is all that matters, and he lives in all of us (Colossians 3:11; NLT).

There is one Lord […] who is over all and in all and living through all (Ephesians 4:5-6; NLT).

2. Then he opened their minds (Luke 24:45; NLT).

If we are to share his glory, we must also share his suffering (Romans 8:17; NLT).

Mourn with those who mourn (Romans 12:15; NRSV).

3. The Lord opened her heart (Acts 16:14; NLT).

Love your neighbour as yourself (Luke 10:27; NLT).

Love the stranger (Deuteronomy 10:19; NKJV).

Show love to foreigners (Deuteronomy 10:19; NLT).

Love your enemies (Matthew 5:44; NLT).

4. I will open the windows of heaven for you (Malachi 3:10; NLT).

He restored sight to many who were blind (Luke 7:21; NLT).

Only one race

Ruth Kirk

Image: Anja, Pixabay

1. There’s only one race:
God calls it humanity;

2. Only one path:
His Son’s way of love.

3. There’s only one truth:
The heart of the gospel;

4. Only one life:
Our chance to do good.

5. There’s only one gift:
The joy of forgiveness;

6. Only one faith,
One Spirit, one call.

7. There’s only one hope:
Our goal of salvation;

8. Only one God,
Who lives in us all.

References

1. All humanity will come to worship me (Isaiah 66:23; NLT).

2. Walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us (Ephesians 5:2; NIV).

3. We want to preserve the truth of the gospel message for you (Galatians 2:5; NLT).

4. Whenever we have the opportunity, we should do good to everyone (Galatians 6:10; NLT).

5. He forgives all my sins (Psalm 103:3; NLT).

6. There is one Lord, one faith, one baptism (Ephesians 4:5; NLT).

There is one body and one Spirit (Ephesians 4:4; NLT).

He calls people (Romans 9:12; NLT).

7. Let us be sober, putting on […] the hope of salvation as a helmet (1 Thessalonians 5:8; NIV).

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

God speaks

Ruth Kirk


1. God speaks to us
But we don’t hear:
With him, there’s neither
Hate, nor fear.

2. God cares for us
Although we fight:
With him, there’s neither
Black, nor white.

3. God aches for us,
And hears each plea:
With him, there’s neither
Slave, nor free.

4. God longs for us
To change, and trust:
With him, there’s neither
Them, nor us.

5. God treasures us,
And this is key:
With him, there’s neither
He, nor she.

6. God offers us
His much-loved Son:
With him, all humankind
Is one.

References

1. God speaks again and again, though people do not recognise it (Job 33:14; NLT).

No one will be hurt or destroyed on my holy mountain (Isaiah 65:25; NLT).

Perfect love drives out fear (1 John 4:18; NIV).

2. The Lord protects the foreigners among us. He cares for the orphans and widows (Psalm 146:9; NLT).

Do not resist an evil person! If someone slaps you on the right cheek, offer the other cheek also (Matthew 5:39; NLT).

3. In all their suffering he also suffered (Isaiah 63:9; NLT).

He hears their cries for help and rescues them (Psalm 145:19; NLT).

There is neither slave nor free (Galatians 3:28; NKJV).

4. The Lord longs to be gracious to you (Isaiah 30:18; NIV).

Repent and turn to me again (Revelation 3:3; NLT).

Trust in God (John 14:1; NLT).

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

There is neither male nor female (Galatians 3:28; NKJV).

6. 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).

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

You are all one in Christ Jesus (Galatians 3:28; NLT).

Three-In-One

Ruth Kirk
Image: skeeze, Pixabay

1. Father,
The divinity of God:
You form us,
Then you give us life and breath.

2. Jesus,
The humanity of God:
You came to earth
To set us free from death.

3. Spirit,
The veracity of God:
You come to bring us power
From above.

4. Three-In-One,
The unity of God:
You long for us
To join your dance of love.

References

1. You created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb (Psalm 139:13; NIV).

He himself gives everyone life and breath (Acts 17:25; NIV).

2. Though he [Jesus] was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to. Instead, he gave up his divine privileges; he took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being (Philippians 2:6-7; NLT).

He [God] gives us victory over sin and death through our Lord Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 15:57; NLT).

3. The Spirit is truth (1 John 5:6; NKJV).

Stay here in the city until the Holy Spirit comes and fills you with power from heaven (Luke 24:49; NLT).

4. Therefore 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).

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

The Lord longs to be gracious to you (Isaiah 30:18; NIV).

The Lord must wait for you to come to him so he can show you his love and compassion (Isaiah 30:18; NLT).

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

Thank you, Jesus

Ruth Kirk
Image: cassiepeasedesigns.com, Yandex

1. Thank you, Jesus,
Son of Man,
For your humanity.

2. Thank you, Jesus,
Son of God,
For your divinity.

3. Thank you, Jesus,
Prince of Peace,
For loving every nation.

4. Thank you Jesus,
Lamb of God,
For being our salvation.

References

1. Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to. Instead, he gave up his divine privileges; he took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being (Philippians 2:6-7; NLT).

2. Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father (Philippians 2:11; NLT).

“My Lord and my God!” Thomas exclaimed (John 20:28; NLT).

3. My Father’s house has many rooms (John 14:2; NIV).

I have other sheep, that are not of this fold; I must bring them also, and they will heed my voice. So there shall be one flock, one shepherd (John 10:16; RSV).

This is God’s plan: Both Gentiles and Jews who believe the Good News share equally in the riches inherited by God’s children. Both are part of the same body, and both enjoy the promise of blessings because they belong to Christ Jesus (Ephesians 3:6; NLT).

4. Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners (1 Timothy 1:15; NLT).