Category: Silence

Utter stillness

Ruth Kirk

Go forth, and stand upon the mount before the LORD. And, behold, the LORD passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the mountains, and brake in pieces the rocks before the LORD; but the LORD was not in the wind: and after the wind an earthquake; but the LORD was not in the earthquake: And after the earthquake a fire; but the LORD was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice (1 Kings 19:11-12; KJV).

Utter stillness;
Utter calm:
You’re my God,
My spirit’s balm.

Total silence;
Total peace:
You’re my soul,
My Great High Priest.

Perfect mercy;
Perfect light:
You’re my way,
My truth, my life.

In my body;
In my blood:
You’re my faith,
My hope, my love.

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).

 

Day by day

Ruth Kirk

The Lord is my helper and my defender; my heart has hoped in him, and I am helped: my flesh has revived, and willingly will I give praise to him (Psalm 28:7; BES).

You defend me day by day –
May I revere and praise your name!

You instruct me week by week –
May I give thanks: you’ve come to reign!

You forgive me month by month –
May I rejoice without surcease!

You restore me year by year –
May we be one in wordless peace!

He restoreth my soul (Psalm 23:3; KJV).

God is love, and all who live in love live in God, and God lives in them (1 John 4:16; NLT).

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

 

Feeling abandoned

Ruth Kirk

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).

Lord Jesus,
Even when you felt
Completely abandoned by God,
We know you still had perfect faith
In Yahweh’s existence and love.

We know this because
At the moment of your death,
You cried out:
“Father, into your hands
I commit my spirit.”

Lord Jesus,
May our faith, and hope, and love
Be just like yours:
For love is as strong as death –
Beyond all time!

Jesus called out with a loud voice, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.” When he had said this, he breathed his last (Luke 23:46; NIV).

References

Place me like a seal over your heart, like a seal on your arm; for love is as strong as death, its jealousy unyielding as the grave. It burns like blazing fire, like a mighty flame. Many waters cannot quench love; rivers cannot sweep it away (Song of Songs 8:6-7; NIV).

Jesus said to the disciples, “Have faith in God” (Mark 11:22; NLT).

Don’t let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in me (John 14:1; NLT).

Three things will last forever – faith, hope, and love – and the greatest of these is love (1 Corinthians 13:13; 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).

No one is abandoned by the Lord forever (Lamentations 3:31; NLT).

Jesus replied, “I assure you, today you will be with me in paradise” (Luke 23:43; NLT).

Behold, I am with you every day, even unto the end of time (Matthew 28:20; ABPE).

 

Wordless sharing

Ruth Kirk

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

In silence,
Lift your hands to God,
And let the Spirit pray
On your behalf.

In stillness,
Lift your mind to God,
And let the Spirit pray
On your behalf.

In gladness,
Lift your heart to God,
And let the Spirit pray
On your behalf.

In darkness,
Lift your soul to God,
And let the Spirit pray
On your behalf.

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. And He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because the Spirit intercedes [before God] on behalf of God’s people in accordance with God’s will (Romans 8:27-8; AMP).

References

Lift up holy hands in prayer, and praise the LORD (Psalm 134:2; NLT).

Listen to my prayer for mercy as I cry out to you for help, as I lift my hands toward your holy sanctuary (Psalm 28:2; NLT).

 

Contemplation

Ruth Kirk

A few days ago, I suddenly understood contemplation in a way that is new to me. I saw that no special techniques of any kind are needed, because even whilst we are waiting for God, wordlessly, perhaps even despairingly, we are already one with God.

The phrase, “Waiting in God’s womb”, burst into my mind as a new definition of contemplation. For me, this means that that no matter what we experience, every aspect of our intention is shared with, and by, our amazing God.

Be still in the presence of the LORD, and wait patiently for him to act (Psalm 37:7; NLT). 

Contemplation:
Waiting in God’s womb.

Contemplation:
Merging with God’s love.

Contemplation:
Sharing in God’s joy.

Contemplation:
Resting in God’s peace.

You will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand (Philippians 4:7; NLT).

References

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).

You deserted the Rock, who fathered you; you forgot the God who gave you birth (Deuteronomy 32:18; NIV).

Before the mountains were born, before you gave birth to the earth and the world, from eternity to eternity, you are God (Psalm 90:2; CSB).

The LORD is in his holy Temple (Habakkuk 2:20; NLT).

Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28; NLT).

 

Waiting, alone

Ruth Kirk

Be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age (Matthew 28:20; NLT).

Waiting, alone, and in silence:
We’re one with you, God.

Searching, alone, and in stillness:
We’re one with you, God.

Wrestling, alone, and in darkness:
We’re one with you, God.

Longing, alone, and in anguish:
We’re one with you, God.

Nothing can ever separate us from God’s love (Romans 8:38; NLT).

Reference

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

Jacob was left alone; and a Man wrestled with him until the breaking of day (Genesis 32:24; NKJV).

I can never get away from your Spirit! I can never escape from your presence! If I go up to heaven, you are there; if I go down to the grave, you are there. If I ride the wings of the morning, if I dwell by the farthest oceans, even there your hand will guide me, and your strength will support me. I could ask the darkness to hide me and the light around me to become night – but even in darkness I cannot hide from you. To you the night shines as bright as day. Darkness and light are the same to you (Psalm 139: 7-12; NLT).

 

Waiting together

Ruth Kirk

A few days ago, I saw that whilst we are waiting for God during contemplation, God is also waiting for us. This means that even waiting is a shared experience, although we may feel completely alone.

We tend to dip in and out of experiencing our oneness with God, but for God oneness with us is constant. As we build our relationship with God over the years, we can slowly grasp that no matter how alone we feel, we are still always one with God. This is faith. As Saint Paul states, “Faith is the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen; it gives us assurance about things we cannot see” (Hebrews 11:1; NLT). Jesus said this first, when he taught, “Blessed are those who believe without seeing me” (John 20:29; NLT).

Christ himself experienced this paradoxical oneness at first hand on the cross. Despite crying out in despair, “My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?” (Mark 15:34; NLT), he still prayed with complete faith, “Into your hands I commit my spirit” (Luke 23:46; NIV), before taking his final breath.

In the light of these thoughts, here is today’s blog:

Be still in the presence of the LORD, and wait patiently for him to act (Psalm 37:7; NLT).

Be still and silent;
Do not pray:
Here, in darkness,
Wait for God.

When your thoughts
And feelings stray:
Let them go –
Just wait for God.

S/He is with you
All the way:
Whilst waiting,
You’re alone with God.

There’s nothing
That you need to say:
To wait is to be one
With God.

The LORD must wait for you to come to him so he can show you his love and compassion. For the LORD is a faithful God. Blessed are those who wait for his help (Isaiah 30:18; NLT).

References

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

Come close to God, and God will come close to you (James 4:8; NLT).

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

We are the temple of the Living God (2 Corinthians 6:16; NIV).

The kingdom of God is within you (Luke 17:21; KJV).

The LORD is in this place, and I wasn’t even aware of it! (Genesis 28:16; NLT).

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me (Psalm 23;4; KJV).

 

Pray in silence

Ruth Kirk

There are two versions of today’s blog. The first is for when we desperately need to pray for ourselves, yet find it impossible to pray at all. This is a very common problem, and can be terribly distressing.

The second version is for when we feel desperate about the state of our world, yet are completely overwhelmed by the scale of suffering we and others cause for those less powerful than ourselves.

Version 1

Pray about everything. Tell God what you need (Philippians 4:6; NLT).

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

Pray in silence; pray in stillness;
Pray in darkness; pray alone.

Ask the Holy Ghost to help you –
God will hear each sigh and groan.

Even if you cannot pray at all,
S/He knows you – mind, heart, soul,

And will pray on your behalf,
By asking God to make you whole.

Heal me, Lord (Psalm 6:2; NLT).

Version 2

I urge you, first of all, to pray for all people. Ask God to help them; intercede on their behalf (1 Timothy 2:1; NLT). 

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

Pray in silence; pray in stillness;
Pray in darkness; pray alone.

Ask the Holy Ghost to help you –
God will hear each sigh and groan.

Even if you cannot pray at all,
S/He knows you – mind, heart, soul –

S/He will pray on your behalf,
For all the world to be made whole.

He has torn us to pieces but he will heal us (Hosea 6:1; NIV). 

Reference

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. And He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because the Spirit intercedes [before God] on behalf of God’s people in accordance with God’s will. And we know [with great confidence] that God [who is deeply concerned about us] causes all things to work together [as a plan] for good for those who love God, to those who are called according to His plan and purpose (Romans 8:26-8; AMP).

 

Darkness

Ruth Kirk

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

Though darkness can be hard, my child,
And stillness can be tough,

And silence can be very bleak,
And loneliness, so rough;

Yet, darkness will be turned to light,
And stillness, made so good,

And silence will be turned to bliss,
And loneliness, to love.

My God turns my darkness into light (Psalm 18:28, NIV).

I am with you always, even to the end of the age (Matthew 28:20; NLT).

References

You have taken away my companions and loved ones. Darkness is my closest friend (Psalm 88:18; NLT).

I lie awake, I am like a lonely bird on the housetop (Psalm 102:7; RSV).

Each one of you is a child of God because of your faith in Christ Jesus. All of you who have been baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. In Christ there is no Jew or Greek, slave or citizen, male or female. All are one in Christ Jesus (Galatians 26-8; TIB).

Be still, and know that I am God! (Psalm 46:10; NLT).

It is good to wait quietly for salvation from the LORD (Lamentations 3:26; NLT).

Even when I walk through the darkest valley, I will not be afraid, for you are close beside me. Your rod and your s protect and comfort me (Psalm 23:4; NLT).

You turned my lament into dancing; you removed my sackcloth and clothed me with gladness (Psalm 30:11; CSB).