Category: Silence

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).

Patient endurance

Ruth Kirk

We are all fragile, fallible, and mortal. Today, in prayer, I saw clearly that the purpose of life is to face its inevitable challenges, sorrows, and sufferings, learning to accept and endure them as patiently as we can, while still loving and serving Jesus in others. This was Christ’s mission, and it is ours as well, for Jesus is resurrected in us all.

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

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

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

So here is today’s prayer:

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

You make us,
You see us,
And hear us.

You know us,
You guide us,
And help us.

You feed us,
You love us,
And hold us.

You wound us,
You teach us,
And heal us.

Look now; I myself am he! There is no other god but me! I am the one who kills and gives life; I am the one who wounds and heals; no one can be rescued from my powerful hand! (Deuteronomy 32:39; NLT).

References

I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world (John 16:33; NLT).

Though the Lord give you the bread of adversity and the water of affliction, yet your Teacher will not hide himself any more, but your eyes shall see your Teacher (Isaiah 30:20; RSV).

May the Lord lead your hearts into a full understanding and expression of the love of God and the patient endurance that comes from Christ (2 Thessalonians 3:5; NLT).

Patient endurance is what you need now, so that you will continue to do God’s will. Then you will receive all that he has promised (Hebrews 10:36; NLT).

Don’t you see how wonderfully kind, tolerant, and patient God is with you? Does this mean nothing to you? Can’t you see that his kindness is intended to turn you from your sin? (Romans 2:4; NLT).

Sitting alone

Ruth Kirk

When you pray, go away by yourself, shut the door behind you, and pray to your Father in private (Matthew 6:6; NLT).

The LORD is in this place, and I wasn’t even aware of it! (Genesis 26:16; NLT).

I sit all alone –
Without a word;

Bask in your light –
And this is prayer;

Speak if I must –
You listen, Lord,

Then rest in the dark –
For you are there.

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

Though I sit in darkness, the LORD will be my light (Micah 7:8; NLT).

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).

References

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

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

We are confident that he hears us whenever we ask for anything that pleases him (1 John 5:14; NLT).

God has told his people, “Here is a place of rest; let the weary rest here. This is a place of quiet rest” (Isaiah 28:12; NLT).

Worship

Ruth Kirk

As they went, Jesus met them and greeted them. And they ran to him, grasped his feet, and worshiped him (Matthew 28:9, NLT). 

I worship you
In silence
Filled with praise,

And honour you
In stillness
Filled with dance.

I treasure you
In darkness
Filled with light,

And love you, Lord:
My way, my truth,
My life.

Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life” (John 14:6, NLT).

References

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

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

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

I love you, Lord (Psalm 18:1, NLT).

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).

Together

Ruth Kirk

The LORD is in his holy temple. Let all the earth be silent before him (Habakkuk 2:20; NLT).

In silent praise and wordless prayer:
Christ is with us, very near.

In private grief and hidden loss:
He weeps beside us, always here.

In untold stress and unseen pain:
Jesus is our friend and kin.

In secret fear and deepest dread:
He shares it all – our God, within.

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

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

References

The person who is joined to the Lord is one spirit with him (1 Corinthians 6:17; NLT).

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

We are the temple of the living God (2 Corinthians 6:16; NLT).

Meeting

Ruth Kirk

LORD, my heart is not proud; my eyes are not haughty. I don’t concern myself with matters too great or too awesome for me to grasp. Instead, I have calmed and quieted myself, like a weaned child who no longer cries for its mother’s milk. Yes, like a weaned child is my soul within me (Psalm 131:1-2; NLT).

I don’t need to move,
Or think,
Or speak.

I don’t need to wait,
Or pray,
Or seek.

I don’t need to hope,
Or sigh,
Or search.

I don’t need to weep,
Or grieve,
Or thirst –

Because you are here!
We meet,
And kiss.

I rest in your love,
Your peace,
Your bliss.

My Lord and my God!
My task
Is done –

You’re here, in my heart,
And we
Are one.

So he returned home to his father. And while he was still a long way off, his father saw him coming. Filled with love and compassion, he ran to his son, embraced him, and kissed him (Luke 15:20; 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 (Philippians 3:8-9; NLT).

References

The person who is joined to the Lord is one spirit with him (1 Corinthians 6:17; NLT).

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

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

May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God (Ephesians 3:19; NLT).

Suddenly, their eyes were opened, and they recognized him (Luke 24:31; NLT).

Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light” (Matthew 11:28-30; NLT).

Seeking

Ruth Kirk

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

Enter your darkness –
Seeking your light.

Wait there in silence –
Seeking your voice.

Welcome your loneliness –
Seeking your truth.

Rest there in stillness –
Seeking your way.

His purpose was for the nations to seek after God and perhaps feel their way toward him and find him – though he is not far from any one of us (Acts 17:27; NLT).

Here, in my body…

Ruth Kirk

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).

Here,
In my body,
My mind, heart,
And soul,

There is darkness,
And loneliness;
Silence,
And emptiness;

Thirsting,
And suffering;
Anguish,
And hopelessness;

Agony;
Loss –
And God;
And my cross.

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).

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

What is prayer?

Ruth Kirk

Wait patiently for the LORD. Be brave and courageous. Yes, wait patiently for the LORD (Psalm 27:14; NLT).

🙏 Prayer is waiting for God
In stillness…

🙏 Listening for God’s voice
In silence…

🙏 Searching for God
In darkness…

🙏 Thirsting for God
In the desert…

🙏 And spending time with God,
Despite feeling entirely alone.

My God, my God, why have you abandoned me? Why are you so far away when I groan for help? (Psalm 22:1; NLT).

We are the temple of the living God. As God said: “I will live in them and walk among them. I will be their God, and they will be my people” (2 Corinthians 6:16; NLT).

References

The LORD is in his holy Temple. Let all the earth be silent before him (Habakkuk 2:20; NLT).

Be still, and know that I am God! I will be honored by every nation. I will be honored throughout the world (Psalm 46:10; NLT).

Be still in the presence of the LORD, and wait patiently for him to act. Don’t worry about evil people who prosper or fret about their wicked schemes (Psalm 37:7; NLT).

He is our God. We are the people he watches over, the flock under his care. If only you would listen to his voice today! (Psalm 95:7; NLT).

You will seek me and find me when you search for me with all your heart (Jeremiah 29:13; CSB).

I lift my hands to you in prayer. I thirst for you as parched land thirsts for rain (Psalm 143:6; NLT).

Jesus left the crowds to pray alone (Luke 9:18; NLT).