Yesterday, I woke in plenty of time to pray before breakfast, but God had a better plan, and gave me these verses instead.
Pray continually. (1 Thessalonians 5:17; NIV).
Prayer doesn’t have to be hard:
We are all in God’s hands.
Speaking, or silent, or weeping:
The Lord understands.
Let’s open our thoughts and our feelings
To Jesus, who cares,
Trusting His Spirit within us
To fashion our prayers.
She intercedes for us,
Sighing and pleading, with tears.
Yahweh is listening,
And waiting to help with our fears.
No matter what happens,
Let’s open our hearts without cease,
Communing with Christ, who is longing
To give us His peace.
Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. (John 14:27; NIV).
These couplets came to me last Saturday, during wordless prayer. Part of me hoped they would fade away, so I wouldn’t have to write them down, but they were much stronger than me, so I quickly gave way.
Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion (Ephesians 6:18; NLT).
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 8:27; TIB).
Wordless prayer: my great adventure –
Going where the Spirit leads,
Seeing what she wants to show me,
Far beyond all human creeds.
So I listen in the darkness, As she sighs and intercedes,
Speaks within me, though I’m silent,
Watching, as the Spirit pleads
For all: entreating, grieving, weeping,
Sweating, while creation bleeds.
He prayed more fervently, and he was in such agony of spirit that his sweat fell to the ground like great drops of blood (Luke 22:44; NLT).
All creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time (Romans 8:22; NLT).
Further references
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).
Will I, who causes others to give birth, not also give birth myself, says the Lord? Will I, who bestows generation upon others, be barren myself, says the Lord your God? (Isaiah 66:9; CPDV).
For a long time I have kept silent, I have been quiet and held myself back. But now, like a woman in childbirth, I cry out, I gasp and pant (Isaiah 42:14; NIV).
The Crucifixion Fra Angelico, Italian, ca. 1420–23, metmuseum.org.
Today’s blog came to me swiftly as I prayed before my icon of Christ yesterday morning:
They will look on the one they pierced.
(John 19:37; NLT).
1. I look on you:
The One we pierced –
The God who died,
And rose again.
2. I look on you:
The One who heals –
Who sets us free
From sin and pain.
3. I look on you:
The One who hears –
The God who listens
To our prayers.
4. I look on you:
The One who sees –
Who saves us, helps us,
Guides, and shares.
I will be with you in trouble.
(Psalm 91:15; TIB).
Praise be to the Lord, to God our Savior,
who daily bears our burdens.
(Psalm 68:19; NIV).
References
Verse 1
Jesus died and rose again (1 Thessalonians 4:14; RSV).
Verse 2
I am the LORD who heals you (Exodus 15:26; NLT). He gave his life to free us from every kind of sin (Titus 2:14; NLT).
He forgives all my sins and heals all my diseases (Psalm 103:3; NLT).
Verse 3
God hears (Genesis 16:11; NLT). He listens (John 9:31; NLT).
Verse 4 You are the God who sees me (Genesis 16:13; NLT).
Our God is a God who saves (Psalm 68:20; NIV).
He helps me (Psalm 28:7; NLT).
He guides me along right paths (Psalm 23:3; NLT).
In all their suffering he also suffered (Isaiah 63:9; NLT).
Give your burdens to the LORD and he will take care of you (Psalm 55:22; NLT).
Needlework picture by Anna Matilda Curtis, 1820, American, metmuseum.org.
To my great surprise, this complex, mysterious prayer arrived whilst I was saying grace before breakfast last Sunday. It is by far the most challenging piece of writing I have ever undertaken, and has taken many hours to put into words.
Seek his face always (1 Chronicles 16:11; NIV).
1. Sisters of the Face of God,
Reach out:
Seek me while you may.
2. Brothers of the Word of God,
Draw near:
Follow me each day.
3. Mothers of the Hand of God,
Join me:
Cling through good and ill.
4. Fathers of the Way of God,
Bear up:
Learn to do my will.
5. People of the Peace of God,
Listen:
I will make you new.
6. Children of the Love of God,
Come now:
Let me welcome you.
The crowds found out where he was going, and they followed him. He welcomed them and taught them about the KingdomofGod. (Luke 9:11; NLT).
You are all children ofGod through faith in Christ Jesus.
(Galatians 3:26; NLT).
References
Verse 1 Anyone who does God’s will is my brother and sister and mother (Mark 3:35; NLT).
They will see God’s face (Job 33:26; NIV). God did this so that they would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from any one of us (Acts 17:27; NIV).
Seek the LORD while you can find him. Call on him now while he is near (Isaiah 55:6; NLT).
Verse 2 He wore a robe dipped in blood, and his title was the Word of God (Revelation 19:13; NLT).
Let us drawnear to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings (Hebrews 10:22; NIV).
Calling the crowd to join his disciples, he said, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross, andfollowme” (Mark 8:34; NLT).
Verse 3 The LORD will hold you in his hand for all to see – a splendid crown in thehandofGod (Isaiah 62:3; NLT). Cling tightly to the LORD your God (Joshua 23:8; NLT).
The Lord gives and the Lord takes away. Blessed be the name of the Lord (Job 1:21; CSB).
Verse 4
They took him aside and explained the way of God (Acts 18:26; NLT).
The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever (1 John 2:16; NIV).
Verse 5 The peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:7; NIV).
This is my dearly loved Son. Listentohim (Mark 9:7; NLT). I will give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit in you. I will take out your stony, stubborn heart and give you a tender, responsive heart (Ezekiel 36:26; NLT).
Verse 6
Jesus called for the children and said to the disciples, “Let the children come to me. Don’t stop them! For the Kingdom of God belongs to those who are like these children. I tell you the truth, anyone who doesn’t receive the Kingdom of God like a child will never enter it” (Luke 18:16; NLT).
Neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from theloveofGod that is in Christ Jesus our Lord (Romans 8:39; NIV).
I will come back and welcome you into My presence, so that you also may be where I am (John 14:3; BSB).
The Rosary Hospital
Yesterday was quite challenging, so for part of the afternoon I took refuge in making a fiat rosary.
Yesterday I continued working on an article about forgiveness. I wanted to post it today, but was too tired to finish it. So instead I chose a short prayer I wrote a while ago, and never found a good opportunity to use:
There is …one God and Father, who is over all and in all and living through all (Ephesians 4:5-6; NLT).
God dwells in stillness,
Timelessness,
And silence,
Over, in,
And through
All He creates.
With endless longing,
Mercy, love,
And patience,
He watches, listens,
Pities, shares –
And waits.
The Lord must wait for you to come to him so he can show you his love and compassion (Isaiah 30:18; NLT).
This prayer began to arrive last Tuesday, during a physiotherapy session. I had to remember it whilst having treatment on my back, neck and knees until I could jot it down afterwards. Fortunately, the following day gave me time to work on it.
“I myself will be a wall of fire around it,” declares the LORD, “and I will be its glory within” (Zechariah 2:5; NIV).
All around me, and within,
Free from blame, Lord, and from sin,
You are with me, come what may:
I’ll listen for your voice today.
Deep within me, and without,
Free from dread, Lord, and from doubt,
You are with me, come what may:
I’ll hear you gladly, and obey.
So, before me, and beside,
You instruct me, Lord, and guide,
Always with me, come what may:
So I’ll give thanks, rejoice and pray.
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).
References
There is …one God and Father, who is over all and in all and living through all (Ephesians 4:5-6; NLT).
I am with you always (Matthew 28:20; NLT).
This is my dearly loved Son, who brings me great joy. Listen to him (Matthew 17:5; NLT).
God is with those who obey him (Psalm 14:5; NLT).
He guides me along right paths (Psalm 23:3; 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).
