The Coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, by Charles Nicolas Cochin II.
Today’s prayer came to me yesterday, as I prayed in silence:
He breathed on them, and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit” (John 20:22; NLT).
Breathe on us; call to us;
Draw us towards you, Lord:
Show us your presence,
And teach us your way.
Help us to walk with you,
Praying and praising:
Safe in your presence,
By night and by day.
Be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age (Matthew 28:20; NLT).
References
Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me (Psalm 22:4; NIV).
Is anyone among you in trouble? Let them pray. Is anyone happy? Let them sing songs of praise (James 5:13; NIV).
You hide them in the shelter of your presence, safe from those who conspire against them. You shelter them in your presence, far from accusing tongues. Praise the LORD, for he has shown me the wonders of his unfailing love (Psalm 31:20-21; NLT).
The Healing of the Blind Man and the Raising of Lazarus Date: first half 12th century (possibly 1129–34), metmuseum.com.
This prayer arrived when I was praying without words very sleepily last Saturday morning. Having just learned how to make videos here after 10 years of using WordPress every day, here is a recording of it, in case that’s better for you than print: IMG_3546
We praise you, Lord (Psalm 21:13; GNT).
We praise you, Lord,
And worship you;
We learn from you,
And follow you;
Believe in you,
And long for you: Our Teacher.
We love you, Lord,
And serve with you;
We trust in you,
Rejoice in you;
Depend on you,
And pray to you: Our Master.
We grieve with you,
And yield with you;
Accept with you,
Endure with you;
We suffer and unite
With you, Our Saviour.
He generously poured out the Spirit upon us through Jesus Christ our Savior (Titus 3:6; NLT).
References
You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and you are right, because that’s what I am (John 13:13; NLT).
Jesus, Master, have mercy on us! (Luke 17:13; NLT).
Jesus is the one referred to in the Scriptures, where it says, ‘The stone that you builders rejected has now become the cornerstone.’ There is salvation in no one else! God has given no other name under heaven by which we must be saved (Acts 4:11; NLT).
Something extra
Here is a link to a gallery of photos which tell the story of a beautiful, short walk we enjoyed last Saturday. I apologise for having messed up my sharing of this yesterday, and hope it will work properly. I can’t claim to be a mistress of technology! Just click on the live link if you would like to view it: https://wp.me/P45bCr-eaC.
This prayer came to me yesterday, when I had to get up early for a hospital appointment. It was difficult to write, but finally came together during the afternoon, as I slept and woke repeatedly:
To you, O LORD, I lift up my soul (Psalm 25:1; ESV).
Prayer is like a dream of God –
Absorbed by love which never ends,
By truth and light; by strength and fire;
By peace, to which my soul ascends.
Prayer is like a dream of God –
At one, in love which never dims,
And so, with childlike trust, I praise
The Lamb, who takes away my sins.
The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Here is the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29; CSB).
References
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).
He loves us with unfailing love; the LORD’s faithfulness endures forever. Praise the LORD! (Psalm 117:2; NLT).
The Spirit is truth (1 John 5:6; NKJV).
God is light (1 John 1:5; NLT).
The Lord Jehovah is everlasting strength (Isaiah 26:4; KJV).
The Lord your God is a consuming fire (Deuteronomy 4:24; NIV).
The Lord is peace (Judges 6:24; NLT).
Anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it (Luke 18:17; NIV).
Jesus rejoiced in the Holy Spirit and said, “I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth” (Luke 10:21; NET).
I praise you, Lord of heaven and earth,
For you renew my strength.
I praise you, Christ, the Counsellor,
For you have made me whole.
I praise you, Spirit, Mighty God, For you restore my life.
I praise you, Threefold Prince of Peace,
For you redeem my soul.
I will praise the Lord at all times (Psalm 34:1; NLT).
References
Unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6; KJV).
He renews my strength (Psalm 23:3; NLT).
He was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that made us whole, and with his stripes we are healed (Isaiah 53:5; RSV).
His good favour restores one’s life (Psalm 30:5; NET).
The Lord redeems the soul of his servants (Psalm 34:22; NKJV).
Over the last week, prayer has become more and more difficult for me. I can repeat a few set prayers and offer brief intercessions and thanks, but my mind, heart and soul feel empty, and I am deeply weary.
So much has happened (and continues to happen), to my family, to others near and far, and to me, that I have few emotions left, and little sense of God’s presence. Overstretched and worn out, I’m unable to respond fully to fresh events. However, suffering continues actively, both for others and for myself, so I must continue to face it and live with it, until I start to feel again.
He awakes, and his soul is still empty (Isaiah 29:8; NKJV).
I’ve hardly prayed these past few days.
I’ve scarcely praised at all.
O Holy Spirit, help me, please,
And listen to my call.
I’ve hardly prayed these last few days.
My words are only dust.
O Holy Spirit, help me
To receive God’s love with trust.
I cannot sleep; nor can I write.
My mind is bare and dry.
Please stir my heart and soul,
So I can hear your gentle sigh.
I cannot work; nor can I rest. My mind is full of pain.
Please heal my heart and soul,
So I can hear your voice again.
“Go out and stand before me on the mountain,” the LORD told him. And as Elijah stood there, the LORD passed by, and a mighty windstorm hit the mountain. It was such a terrible blast that the rocks were torn loose, but the LORD was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake. And after the earthquake there was a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire. And after the fire there was the sound of a gentle whisper (1 Kings 19:11-12; NLT).
References
Jesus said, “Let’s go off by ourselves to a quiet place and rest awhile.” He said this because there were so many people coming and going that Jesus and his apostles didn’t even have time to eat. So they left by boat for a quiet place, where they could be alone. But many people recognized them and saw them leaving, and people from many towns ran ahead along the shore and got there ahead of them (Mark 6:30-33; NLT).
Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light (Matthew 11:28-30; KJV).
Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong (Ephesians 3L17; NLT).
Lord, be merciful to me; heal my soul (Psalm 41:4; NKJV).
I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will remove your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh (Ezekiel 36:26; BSB).
The Spirit [comes to us and] helps us in our weakness. We do not know what prayer to offer or how to offer it as we should, but the Spirit Himself [knows our need and at the right time] intercedes on our behalf with sighs and groanings too deep for words (Romans 8:26; AMP).
Today’s prayer arrived about week ago. I’ve chosen it for today because I’m resting after a very challenging week.
The dust returns to the ground it came from…
The sicker I become, Lord God,
The closer I will be
To that glad day
When life is done,
And my poor soul,
At last, set free,
Returns to you,
With thanks and praise:
Becoming truly one.
…and the spirit returns to God who gave it (Ecclesiastes 12:7; NIV).
The Rosary Hospital
Yesterday I was entrusted with a beautiful, old crucifix which belonged to someone who has died. My husband cleaned it up very carefully, whilst I made a rosary to go with it. It’s not quite finished yet, but this is how it looks so far:
When praying with my circlet, I’m learning to wait in silence on each new bead. Once I can see what it holds, I pray with it until the prayer is complete. Then I let it go, and move on to the next, as described in today’s prayer:
The Spirit also helps us in our weakness; for we do not know what prayers to offer nor in what way to offer them (Romans 8:26; WNT).
Jesus,
When I ask your help, A prayer awaits me in each bead:
All I have to do is listen
For your Holy Spirit’s lead.
Some hold silence, inspiration, Intercession, thanks, or praise;
Some are full of light and warmth,
Of our shared love’s united gaze.
So I say the words you offer, See all I am meant to see:
What a joy it is to know
That every day you care for me.
May I speak the words you give,
And learn what I am meant to learn,
Living, walking in your Spirit
Here, on earth, till I return.
The dust returns to the ground it came from, and the spirit returns to God who gave it (Ecclesiastes 12:7; NIV).
References
I will put my Spirit in you and you will live (Ezekiel 37:14; NIV).
I will give you treasures hidden in the darkness – secret riches. I will do this so you may know that I am the LORD, the God of Israel, the one who calls you by name (Isaiah 45:3; NLT).
Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion (Ephesians 6:18; NLT).
Listen to God’s voice (Deuteronomy 26:17; TIB).
The LORD is my strength and shield. I trust him with all my heart. He helps me, and my heart is filled with joy. I burst out in songs of thanksgiving (Psalm 28:7; NLT).
He cares for those who trust in him (Nahum 1:7; NIV).
Don’t you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? (1 Corinthians 6:19; NLT).
God has given us his Spirit as proof that we live in him and he in us (1 John 4:13; NLT).
If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit (Galatians 5:25; KJV).
Today’s blog builds on one of my very favourite prayers. I say it every morning, having come across it many years ago in “Pocket Prayers for Pilgrims”. This little book was compiled by John Pritchard (Church House Publishing; 2011; page 33). Here it is:
Lord God,
Whoever you bring into our path today,
May we see Christ in them,
And may they see Christ in us,
For your love’s sake.
Amen.
Over the years, without even realising it, I’ve made this prayer more personal. Then, when I was saying it with my circlet yesterday (on bead 1/4), I suddenly saw how it could be extended:
Christ is all that matters, and he lives in all of us (Colossians 3:11; NLT).
Lord God,
Whoever you bring into my path,
My mind,
And my prayers today,
May I see Christ in them,
And may they see Christ in me,
For Thy love’s sake,
Amen.
All of us who have had that veil removed can see and reflect the glory of the Lord. And the Lord – who is the Spirit – makes us more and more like him as we are changed into his glorious image (2 Corinthians 3:18; NLT).
Having written this down I began to pray again (still on 1/4), but a question immediately flashed into my mind:
Do you really think it makes any difference to God whether we are Orthodox, Catholic, Protestant, Methodist, Evangelical, Lutheran, or any other denomination?
The answer, of course, isNo – it makes no difference at all, because what God wants is for us to be Christian in the fullest and truest sense of the word. So what does being a Christian actually mean?
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).
It means giving up our selfish ways,
Taking up our cross each day, And following Jesus.
It means growing more like him In all we think, say,
And do.
It means seeing, loving,
And serving him In everyone,
Including those we disagree with,
Or disapprove of,
And those who hate or hurt us.
Love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you! (Matthew 5:44; NLT).
By the time I’d written this down, I hardly dared to continue praying, for fear of what might follow. However, I needn’t have worried, because I was able to let bead 1/4 go, and to move on, though of course I never know what will come next. In fact, bead 1/5 turned out to be full of heartfelt thanks and praise, for which I was very grateful.
References
Love your neighbor as yourself (Matthew 19:19; NLT).
We take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ (2 Corinthians 10:5; NIV).
Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me (Matthew 25:49; NIV).
The Rosary Hospital
Today I was able to begin trying out the new rosary-making method I stumbled upon yesterday. This means starting in the middle of the main circlet.
Apart from giving one decade 13 beads, and having to take back a couple of barrel knots to put this right, it worked out well. At the moment, I don’t really understand why it works, but that’s not important. What counts is that it enables me to make two identical knots at the places where the main circle joins the centrepiece, as shown in the photo below. Hopefully, I’ll be able to finish making this rosary tomorrow.
As I was beginning to surface from a bad dream early yesterday morning, I heard a voice call out my name: “Ruth!” A few moments later it happened again: “Ruth!” I felt disorientated and confused, too sleepy to respond.
Sitting on the edge of my bed (I have to stand up slowly), I tried to pray about what had happened, but I don’t think I made much sense.
Even once I began to move about, it took me several more minutes to realise that I could have answered: “Speak, Lord, your servant is listening” (1 Samuel 3:9; NLT). I prayed about this, but felt sad that I had missed my chance to respond.
After breakfast it was hard to pray for others, as discussed yesterday (here is a link: https://wp.me/p45bCr-deo). Then a possible way forward suddenly came into my mind.
Introductory prayers Using the first section of my five-decade rosary (the cross and the five beads which lead to the main circle), I kissed the cross, and used it to make the sign of the cross. Then I said five of my favourite morning prayers, one on each bead. Pausing at the centrepiece, I asked the Holy Spirit to direct my prayers, and to help me to pray.
First decade: Praying for others Next, I held the first bead of the first decade whilst praying for the first person who came into my mind. After each bead, I moved on to the next, waiting to see who it was for, then praying for them, as described in the link above.
When I reached the fixed “Our Father” bead, I kissed it, and made the sign of the cross with it again, whilst saying: “Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. Amen.” Then I rested for a moment with my arms crossed on my breast, wondering what would come next.
Second decade: Giving thanks
Almost immediately, I saw that the next decade was for giving thanks, so that’s exactly what I did. On each bead, I waited to see what came into my mind, then gave thanks for it. I knew that this could include saying thank-you for “bad” things, as well as “good” ones.
Half-way through the second decade, I saw what needed to come next: asking God’s forgiveness. Pausing to write this down, I continued giving thanks, until the next “Glory be”, when I rested again.
Third decade: Saying sorry, and asking forgiveness On the next group of beads, I said I was sorry for ten different things I had got wrong, one at a time, including my long-standing flaws and weaknesses. I asked God’s forgiveness and help on each bead, as before.
Fourth decade: Forgiving others By the time I reached this point, I was tiring, but could see that the next ten beads would be about forgiving others. In fact there was no one at all I needed to forgive, so I moved straight on to the last ten beads.
Fifth decade: Praising God The final decade was devoted to praising ten different aspects of God, which was very easy to do.
Conclusion I’m hoping that this way of using my rosary might be particularly helpful when praying with words feels like an unmanageable task, or I’m finding it hard to concentrate. Holding the beads one at a time will hopefully help to keep me centred and grounded. It also limits the number of prayers on each subject to ten, though obviously this shouldn’t be too rigid.
The prayer on each bead will be as short, honest and direct as I can make it, so it will hopefully be possible to develop a momentum that keeps me moving forwards to the next prayer, and the next, rather than getting bogged down, or feeling overwhelmed and giving up. Finally, I plan to try starting and ending my circle of prayer by holding the cross during a period of silence.
