Category: Joy

All must die

Ruth Kirk

No one can live forever; all will die. No one can escape the power of the grave (Psalm 89:48; NLT).

Lord, we fade and suffer pain,
For all must die to rise again.
Yet, may we trust your love and grace,
For all will die in your embrace.

We’ll be changed when life is through,
For all must die to live with you.
So, may we gladly leave this place,
For after death all see your face.

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

Reference

We will all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we will be changed. For this corruptible body must be clothed with incorruptibility, and this mortal body must be clothed with immortality (1 Corinthians 15:51-3; CSB).

Jesus!

Ruth Kirk

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

The way beyond all other ways
Is you, Lord.

The truth beyond all others:
You’re God’s Son.

The life beyond all other lives:
To bear our cross, and follow you.

The joy beyond all others:
We are one!

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).

References

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

God promised this Good News long ago through his prophets in the holy Scriptures. The Good News is about his Son. In his earthly life he was born into King David’s family line, and he was shown to be] the Son of God when he was raised from the dead by the power of the Holy Spirit. He is Jesus Christ our Lord (Romans 1:2-4; NLT).

Then he said to the crowd, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross daily, and follow me. If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it. And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but are yourself lost or destroyed?” (Luke 9:23-6; NLT).

Jesus was filled with the joy of the Holy Spirit, and he said, “O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, thank you for hiding these things from those who think themselves wise and clever, and for revealing them to the childlike. Yes, Father, it pleased you to do it this way” (Luke 10:21; NLT).

Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again – rejoice! (Philippians 4:4; NLT).

Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18; NIV).

Here, in stillness

Ruth Kirk

Be still in the presence of the LORD (Psalm 37:7; NLT).

Here, in stillness,
Here, in silence,
Here, in darkness –
You are light. 

Here, in splendour,
Here, in rapture,
Here, in oneness –
You are truth.

Here, in trouble,
Here, in failure,
Here, in ruin –
You are peace.

Here, in sorrow,
Here, in longing,
Here, in anguish –
You are love.

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

References

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).

One day…

Ruth Kirk

I tell you the truth, those who listen to my message and believe in God who sent me have eternal life. They will never be condemned for their sins, but they have already passed from death into life. And I assure you that the time is coming, indeed it’s here now, when the dead will hear my voice – the voice of the Son of God. And those who listen will live (John 5:24-5; NLT).

One day
I will hear your voice,
And feel my spirit rise.

One day
I will take your hand,
And look into your eyes.

One day
You will smile at me,
And banish all my fears.

One day
You will make me well,
And wipe away my tears.

One day
We will kiss, and laugh,
And dance, Lord, in your light.

One day
We will merge,
For I am precious in your sight.

Yes, 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).

You are precious in my sight and honored, and I love you (Isaiah 43:4; CSB).

References

My beloved is mine and I am his (Song of Songs 2:16; NIV).

There will be no night there – no need for lamps or sun – for the Lord God will shine on them. And they will reign forever and ever (Revelation 22:5; NLT).

Jesus spoke to the people once more and said, “I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won’t have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life” (John 8:12; NLT).

Reading: John 1:1-5.

 

Worship

Ruth Kirk

I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing (John 15:5; NIV).

My root and my vine;
My bread and my wine.

My strength and my peace;
My joy without cease.

My truth and my light;
My way and my life.

My teacher, my prize;
My pearl without price.

My staff and my rod:
My Lord and my God!

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

 

Seek and find

Ruth Kirk

Jesus spoke to the people once more and said, “I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won’t have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life” (John 8:12; NLT).

Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you (Matthew 7:7; NLT).

Seek light
In the heart of the gospel;
Find hope
In the heart of God’s Word.

Seek faith
In the heart of the gospel;
Find peace
In the heart of the Lord.

Seek joy
In the heart of the gospel;
Find strength
In the heart of God’s Son.

Seek life
In the heart of the gospel;
Find truth there –
In Christ we are one. 

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).

I have given them the glory you gave me, so they may be one as we are one (John 17:22; NLT).

References

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. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it (John 1:1-5; NLT).

We proclaim to you the one who existed from the beginning, whom we have heard and seen. We saw him with our own eyes and touched him with our own hands. He is the Word of life (1 John 1:1; NLT).

I have put my hope in your word (Psalm 119:74; NLT).

The LORD is peace (Judges 6:24; NLT).

God’s word lives in your hearts (1 John 2:14; NLT).

No one has ever seen God. But the unique One, who is himself God, is near to the Father’s heart. He has revealed God to us (John 1:18; NLT).

This one who is life itself was revealed to us, and we have seen him. And now we testify and proclaim to you that he is the one who is eternal life. He was with the Father, and then he was revealed to us (1 John 1:2; NLT).

Good Friday 2026

Ruth Kirk

If you are walking in darkness, without a ray of light, trust in the LORD and rely on your God (Isaiah 50:10; NLT).

When there’s no joy,
But only grief;
When there’s no peace,
But only pain;

When there’s no wine,
But only thirst;
When there’s no rest,
But only dread;

When there’s no light,
But only faith;
When there’s no help,
But only hope;

When there’s no choice,
But only death –
Just follow Christ,
And trust in God.

Follow me and be my disciple (Matthew 9:9; NLT).

Then he said to the crowd, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross daily, and follow me” (Luke 9:23; NLT).

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

References

Then at three o’clock Jesus called out with a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?” which means “My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?” (Mark 15:34; NLT).

Then Jesus shouted, “Father, I entrust my spirit into your hands!” And with those words he breathed his last (Luke 23:46; NLT).

My health may fail, and my spirit may grow weak, but God remains the strength of my heart; he is mine forever (Psalm 73:26; NLT).

Blessed are those who have not seen and yet believe (John 20:29; CSB).

Reading: Habakkuk 3:17-19; NLT.

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! He makes me as surefooted as a deer, able to tread upon the heights.

Jesus

Ruth Kirk

My beloved is mine and I am his (Song of Songs 2:16; NIV).

Jesus:
You are so kind,
So just, so good –
You are my way, my truth,
My life, and my love.

Jesus:
You are so brave,
So dear, so wise –
You are my joy, my tears,
My peace, and my prize.

Jesus:
You are my bread,
My staff, my rod –
You are my light, my strength,
My Lord, and my God.

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

References

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 3:14; NLT).

And now the prize awaits me – the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give me on the day of his return. And the prize is not just for me but for all who eagerly look forward to his appearing (2 Timothy 4:8; NLT).

Human and divine

Ruth Kirk

Don’t let anyone capture you with empty philosophies and high-sounding nonsense that come from human thinking and from the spiritual powers of this world, rather than from Christ. For in Christ lives all the fullness of God in a human body (Colossians 2:8-9; NLT).

Christ… is the exact likeness of God (2 Corinthians 4:4; NLT).

Christ is the visible image of the invisible God (Colossians 1:15; NLT).

Jesus,

You are human
And divine –
Not just here on earth,
But for all time.

The Son of Man, the Christ,
Our Lord, our God –
You are our bread and wine,
Our staff and rod.

We are your joy, your pain,
Your cross, your soul –
You are our way, our truth,
Our life: our goal.

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

I pursue as my goal the prize promised by God’s heavenly call in Christ Jesus (Philippians 3:14; CSB).

My goal is to know him and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of his sufferings… Not that I have already reached the goal or am already perfect, but I make every effort to take hold of it (Philippians 3:10;12 CSB).

References:

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).

Then the disciples worshiped him. “You a really are the Son of God!” They exclaimed (Luke 24:52; NLT).

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

Readings:

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.When he appeared in human form, he humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s death on a cross. Therefore, God elevated him to the place of highest honor and gave him the name above all other names, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father (Philippians 2:6-11; 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. I no longer count on my own righteousness through obeying the law; rather, I become righteous through faith in Christ. For God’s way of making us right with himself depends on faith. I want to know Christ and experience the mighty power that raised him from the dead. I want to suffer with him, sharing in his death, so that one way or another I will experience the resurrection from the dead! (Philippians 3:8-11; NLT).