Category: Loneliness

Come, Lord!

Ruth Kirk

Look! I stand at the door and knock. If you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in, and we will share a meal together as friends (Revelation 3:20; NLT).

Come, Lord Jesus! ( Revelation 22:20; NLT). 

Come, Lord: share my sense of wrongness;
Come to share my fear and pain.
Come to share my sense of failure,
Grief, depression, guilt, and shame.

Come, Lord: share my unbelonging;
Come to stay, and be my Friend.
Come to share my lonely exile
Till its promised, longed-for end.

Come, though I’m unloveable –
Come with your healing, peace and grace.
Come, Lord, share my emptiness:
Until, at last, I see your face.

When I awake, I will see you face to face and be satisfied (Psalm 17:15; NLT).

References

There was no room for them in the inn (Luke 2:7; NKJV).

I am like an owl in the desert, like a little owl in a far-off wilderness. I lie awake, lonely as a solitary bird on the roof (Psalm 102:6-7; NLT).

We are all saved the same way, by the undeserved grace of the Lord Jesus (Acts 15:11; NLT).

For now we see in a mirror indirectly, but then we will see face to face (1 Corinthians 13:12; NET).

They will see his face, and his name will be written on their foreheads (Revelation 22:4; NLT).

Acknowledgement

With thanks for the assistance of my AI writing companion.

Come in, Lord! (with thanks to J.)

Ruth Kirk

This prayer came to me during the amazing sermon I listened to on the first Sunday of Advent. Its central theme was that we can invite Christ into every moment and situation with the simple words, “Come in, Lord!”

Essentially, this is the perfect, all-purpose arrow prayer. It asks Jesus to enter and share whatever we are preparing for, facing, experiencing, thinking, feeling, saying, or doing.

I was so touched by this simple spiritual practice that I immediately began to adopt it. As the day progressed, I quickly found that welcoming Jesus in with these words makes the reality of his constant presence much more vivid for me. This instantly increases my sense of our togetherness, as we share whatever is happening at any moment.

My profound thanks to J, for their wonderful help and example to me, as well as for their superb insight and preaching.

So, here is the prayer which came to me during the sermon:

Look! I stand at the door and knock. If you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in, and we will share a meal together as friends (Revelation 3:20; NLT).

Come in, Lord!
Enter my mind and heart;
Come in, Lord, enter my soul.
Come in, and share my exile here –
Please come to make me whole.

Come in, Lord!
Enter my life each day;
Come in: don’t wait outside!
Come in, and share my hidden self –
Please come to be my Guide.

Come in, Lord!
Enter my loneliness,
My sorrow, and my pain.
Come in, despite my sinfulness –
And make me your domain.

All who love me will do what I say. My Father will love them, and we will come and make our home with each of them (John 14:23; NLT).

References

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

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

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

My mind is blank

Ruth Kirk

Last night I woke suddenly from a bad dream, kicking out at someone who was threatening me. As soon as I began to pray, this prayer instantly appeared in my mind. It was as if I had been woken up to hear it. I knew I had to write it down and post it straight away. This prayer is not about me, or my own state of mind, so I quickly realised that it must be for someone else who will read it. I have already prayed for that person.

May your Kingdom come soon…

Lord, my mind is blank,
My heart is numb –
Yet still I pray, and beg:
Your kingdom come.

Lord, my flesh is dust,
My soul is void –
Yet still I pray, and plead:
Your will be done.

Lord, may I rejoice,
Though all seems lost –
Help me to cling to you,
And bear my cross.

…May your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven (Matthew 6:10; NLT).

Then, 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, and follow me” (Mark 8:34; NLT). 

Reference

Rejoice always (1 Thessalonians 5:16; NIV).

Cling tightly to the LORD your God (Joshua 22:8; NLT).

Never stop praying (1 Thessalonians 5:17; NLT).

“The time promised by God has come at last!” he announced. “The Kingdom of God is near! Repent of your sins and believe the Good News!” (Mark 1:15; NLT).

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.

Life is hard

Ruth Kirk

Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world (John 16:33; NLT).

How hard life is, my God,
How hard –
With so much sorrow
On the way;
With so much anguish,
Loss and pain –
Until we see your face
Again.

From birth to death
We’re exiled here –
To follow Christ,
And grow in love;
To ask for, and receive,
Your grace –
Until we know
Your warm embrace.

How rich you are
In joy and peace –
So kind and patient,
Strong and wise.
We need your Son
And Spirit, too –
Until we’re one,
At last, with you.

How short life is, my God,
How short –
So we have put
Our trust in you.
We’ll share the bliss
You have in store –
When we unite with you
Once more.

There is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day – and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing (2 Timothy 4:8; NIV).

No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no human mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love him (1 Corinthians 2:9; NLT). 

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

Jesus

Ruth Kirk

I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing (John 15:5; NKJV).

I just wouldn’t manage
My exile without you –

I just couldn’t face it
Alone;

For you are my mind,
And my heart, and my soul;

My breath, and my flesh,
And my bone.

You are the body of Christ (1 Corinthians 12:27; NIV).

References

You lived in this world without God and without hope (Ephesians 2:12; 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).

God created human beings in his own image. In the image of God he created them; male and female he created them (Genesis 1:27; NLT).

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).

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

Christ lives in me (Galatians 2:20; NLT).

 

Naked prayer

Ruth Kirk

Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I will depart. The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away; may the name of the LORD be praised (Job 1:21; NIV).

Before a word is on my tongue you, LORD, know it completely (Psalm 139:4; NIV).

Spend some time with God in silence,
Naked, as when you were born.
God will know if you are grieving,
Hurt, repentant, or forlorn.

Spend some time with God in stillness,
Naked, as you are each day.
God will know if you are struggling,
Or if you have lost your way.

Spend some time with God in private,
Naked, as you always are.
God will know if you are damaged,
Seeing every wound and scar.

Spend some time with God in darkness,
Naked, as the day you’ll die.
God will know your pain and anguish,
And will hear the Spirit’s sigh.

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. And he who searches the hearts of men knows what is in the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God (Romans 8:26-7; RSV).

References

Be silent before the LORD, all humanity (Zechariah 2:13; NLT).

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

When you pray, go into your private room, shut your door, and pray to your Father (Matthew 6:6; CSB).

Moses went into the darkness where God was (Exodus 20:21; BES).

The LORD sees every heart and knows every plan and thought (1 Chronicles 28:9; NLT).

You are the temple of the living God (Luke 17:21; NKJV).

Christ lives within you (Romans 8:10; NLT).

Don’t you realise that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you? (1 Corinthians 3:18; NLT).

 

Cling to God

Ruth Kirk

Cling tightly to the LORD your God (Joshua 23:8; NLT).

When you seek,
But cannot find:
Just cling to God
With all your mind.

When your way
Is steep and dark:
Just cling to God
With all your heart.

When you fail
To reach your goal:
Just cling to God
With all your soul.

And when your anguish
Is intense:
Just cling to God
With all your strength.

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

Blessed are those whose strength is in you (Psalm 84:5; NIV).

References

Keep on seeking, and you will find (Luke 11:9; NLT).

Love the LORD your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength (Mark 12:30; NLT).

Be assured that the testing of your faith [through experience] produces endurance [leading to spiritual maturity, and inner peace] (James 1:3; AMP).

Cling to your faith in Christ (1 Timothy 1:19; NLT).

The gateway to life is very narrow and the road is difficult (Matthew 7:14; 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).

He became anguished and distressed. He told them, “My soul is crushed with grief to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me.” He went on a little farther and bowed with his face to the ground, praying, “My Father! If it is possible, let this cup of suffering be taken away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine” (Matthew 26:37-9; NLT).

And in his anguish, he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground (Luke 22:44; NET).

Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world (John 16:33; NLT).

 

It’s okay!

Ruth Kirk

Love your neighbor as yourself (Luke 10:27; NLT; my emphasis).

At last (aged 73), I am starting to grasp a little more that it’s okay:

  • To look how I look, to think my own thoughts, and to feel how I feel.
  • To be as I am, physically, mentally, neurologically, emotionally, intellectually and spiritually.
  • To be honest with myself, God, and everyone I come into contact with, whilst always trying to do so without being hurtful.
  • To make mistakes, to get things wrong, and to forget things.
  • To make my own choices, to have my own opinions, and to change my mind.
  • To change my behaviour.
  • To be assertive.
  • To offer help, and for my help to be refused.
  • To ask for help, to accept offered help, and to refuse offered help.
  • To grow as a person.
  • To continue my spiritual development.
  • To age, and to decline in physical strength, energy, health, and mental sharpness.

In short: It’s okay to be myself.

Very slowly and cautiously, I’m beginning to feel as if I no longer need to apologise for my existence, because God made me just as I am, and loves me just as I am. So maybe I can even begin to love myself just as I am, as well!

My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life (John 10:10; NLT).

References

Speak the truth with love (Ephesians 4:15; NLT).

He loves us with unfailing love; the LORD’s faithfulness endures forever (Psalm 117:2; NLT).

The Father himself loves you (John 16:27; NIV).

 

The road is difficult

Ruth Kirk

The gateway to life is very narrow and the road is difficult (Matthew 7:14; NLT).

Introduction
The road through life and back to God difficult because committing to it means:

  • Learning to accept and welcome whatever God sends into our lives, both good and bad, with thanks.
  • Facing whatever God gives or takes with all the courage we can muster, just as Christ did.
  • Loving, trusting, and clinging to God, no matter what trials we have to endure.
  • Giving love to others the best we can, in whatever circumstances we find ourselves.

Jesus’ example
There can be no better way to grasp what this road requires of us in practice than to reflect on how Jesus faced his death. The following quotations show how he accepted God’s will and clung to his faith whilst continuing to love and serve all those around him. He did this despite his terrible physical, emotional and spiritual suffering, even when he felt completely abandoned by God:

  • My Father! If this cup cannot be taken away unless I drink it, your will be done” (Matthew 26:42; NLT).
  • When they came to a place called The Skull, they nailed him to the cross. … Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they don’t know what they are doing” (Luke 23:33-34; NLT).
  • Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your Kingdom.” And Jesus replied, “I assure you, today you will be with me in paradise” (Luke 23:42-3; NLT).
  • Standing near the cross were Jesus’ mother, and his mother’s sister, Mary (the wife of Clopas), and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus saw his mother standing there beside the disciple he loved, he said to her, “Dear woman, here is your son.” And he said to this disciple, “Here is your mother.” And from then on this disciple took her into his home (John 19:25-6; NLT).
  • 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).
  • Jesus shouted, “Father, I entrust my spirit into your hands!” And with those words he breathed his last (Luke 23:46; NLT).

Conclusion
Our task on earth is to follow Jesus’ example in all circumstances:

  • 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).
  • God called you to do good, even if it means suffering, just as Christ suffered for you. He is your example, and you must follow in his steps (1 Peter 2:21; NLT).

Following Christ can be very hard, but however difficult our road may be, our ultimate destination remains the same: complete healing, in oneness with God, for evermore.

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

References

I came naked from my mother’s womb, and I will be naked when I leave. The LORD gave me what I had, and the LORD has taken it away. Praise the name of the LORD! (Job 1:21; NLT).

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

Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus (1 Thessalonians 5:18; NIV).

Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the LORD will personally go ahead of you. He will be with you; he will neither fail you nor abandon you (Deuteronomy 31:8; NLT).

I form the light and create darkness, I bring prosperity and create disaster; I, the Lord, do all these things (Isaiah 45:7; NIV).

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

When times are good, be happy; but when times are bad, consider this: God has made the one as well as the other (Ecclesiastes 7:14; NIV).

Those who suffer he delivers in their suffering; he speaks to them in their affliction (Job 36:15; NIV).

I have seen, O Lord, that your decisions are right, and that in unchanging faith you have sent trouble on me (Psalm 119:75; BBE).

Though the Lord gave you adversity for food and suffering for drink, he will still be with you to teach you (Isaiah 30:20; NLT).

Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day (2 Corinthians 4:16; NIV).

Though you have made me see troubles, many and bitter, you will restore my life again (Psalm 71:20; NIV).

Blessed is the one whom God corrects; so do not despise the discipline of the Almighty. For he wounds, but he also binds up; he injures, but his hands also heal (Job: 5:17; NIV).

Come, let us return to the LORD. He has torn us to pieces; now he will heal us. He has injured us; now he will bandage our wounds (Hosea 6:1; NLT).

 

Thank you

Ruth Kirk

Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus (1 Thessalonians 5:18; NIV).

Thank you for making me;
Thank you for saving me;
Thank you for knowing my heart,
Mind, and prayers.

Thank you for hearing me;
Thank you for guiding me;
Thank you for sharing my sorrows
And cares.

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

References

I knew you before I formed you in your mother’s womb (Jeremiah 1:5; NLT).

You are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long (Psalm 25:5; NIV).

You know my heart (Jeremiah 12:3; NLT).

You know my thoughts even when I’m far away (Psalm 139:2; NLT).

He hears my voice (Psalm 55:17; NIV).

He guides me along the right paths for his name’s sake (Psalm 23:3; NIV).

Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world (John 16:33; NLT).