Category: Son

7.6.23: You are awesome

Ruth Kirk
Image by Dimitris Vetsikas from Pixabay.

My husband and I are still completely flattened by his sudden, acute illness and hospital stay last week. It’s made me realise how quickly things can go wrong at our age. I’m also even more aware of how vulnerable I am without him, but God is in charge of our situation, as always.

The Lord Most High is awesome (Psalm 47:2; NLT).

Yahweh,
You are awesome
And eternal.
It’s hard to grasp
That I can talk to you,
And that you even notice
My existence,
Yet I have faith, dear Father,
That you do.

Yahweh,
You’re within me:
I’m your temple.
Please draw me ever closer,
Through your Son.
Then he and I, at death,
Will quit this body,
To live forever in your love,
As one.

Whoever is united with the Lord is one with him in spirit (1 Corinthians 6:17; NIV).

References

God’s temple is holy, and you are that temple (1 Corinthians 3:17; NLT).

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

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

Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them (1 John 4:16; NIV).

4.6.23: God

Ruth Kirk
The Trinity in an Initial B, Master of the Codex Rossiano, Sienese, pobably 1387.

NB: Just after posting this prayer, I looked at my calendar and discovered that today is Trinity Sunday. This came as a complete surprise, and made me smile broadly, rejoicing in God’s astonishing goodness and power!

Go and make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit (Matthew 28:19; NIV).

God is three
And God is one:
Father, Spirit,
Much-loved Son.

God is one,
And God is three:
Love, in perfect
Unity.

Love …is the bond of perfect unity (Colossians 3:14; BSB).

God is love (1 John 4:8; NLT). 

References

God said, “Let us make human beings in our image, to be like us” (Genesis 1:26; NLT).

The LORD our God, the LORD is one (Deuteronomy 6:4; NIV).

All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ (2 Corinthians 1:3; NLT).

God is Spirit (John 4:24; NLT).

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form, and void; and darkness on the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters (Genesis 1:1-2; NKJV).

In the beginning the Word already existed. The Word was with God, and the Word was God. He existed in the beginning with God. God created everything through him, and nothing was created except through him. The Word gave life to everything that was created, and his life brought light to everyone (John 1:1-4; NLT).

Look at my servant, whom I strengthen. He is my chosen one, who pleases me. I have put my Spirit upon him (Isaiah 42:1; NLT).

This is My beloved Son (Luke 9:35; NKJV).

The Father and I are one (John 10:30; NLT).

A short reading: Genesis 18:1-3,33; CSB.

The LORD appeared to Abraham at the oaks of Mamre while he was sitting at the entrance of his tent during the heat of the day. He looked up, and he saw three men standing near him. When he saw them, he ran from the entrance of the tent to meet them, bowed to the ground, and said, “My lord, if I have found favor with you, please do not go on past your servant… When the LORD had finished speaking with Abraham, he departed, and Abraham returned to his place.

15.5.23: Darkness and light

Ruth Kirk
Milky Way photo from Pixabay, made into a watercolour.

Today’s blog is very short and simple:

He made darkness his hiding place (Psalm 18:11; BSB).

How deep is the darkness
That hides you, Lord God,

Yet how dazzling
The light you revealed:

For you gave us your Son,
So that all who believe

Will not die, but be ransomed,
And healed.

He forgives all my sins and heals all my diseases. He redeems me from death (Psalm 103:3-4; NIV).

10.5.23: Thank you

Ruth Kirk
Image by Izabela Rutkowska from Pixabay.

This prayer came to me quite some time ago, so today I’ve chosen it for my blog:

It is by grace you have been saved, through faith – and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God (Ephesians 2:8; NIV).

Thank you, Father, for your gifts
Of grace, and faith and inner peace.

Thank you for your only Son,
Sent down to us from heaven above.

Thank you for his narrow way,
His light and truth, which never cease.

Thank you for your mercy,
Your forgiveness and unfailing love.

He loves us with unfailing love (Psalm 117:2; NLT).

9.5.23: Your presence

Ruth Kirk
Image by Lumina Obscura, from Pixabay.

This is my prayer for today:

We know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them (1 John 4:16; NIV). 

Yahweh,
May I sense your presence:
I in you, and you in me,
All day long, and evermore,
In full communion, constantly.

Yahweh,
May I know your presence:
You in me, and I in you,
Then I’ll grow more like your Son,
In all I feel, think, say and do.

This will continue until we all come to such unity in our faith and knowledge of God’s Son that we will be mature in the Lord, measuring up to the full and complete standard of Christ (Ephesians 4:13; NLT).

8.5.23: My hope, my way

Ruth Kirk
Stations of the Cross in Althofen; painted by Consuelo Mels-Colloredo, 1983. Neithan90, Wikimedia.

Yesterday I felt very tired, which had its up-side, as I was able to spend time putting the morning’s notes into words whilst resting. The lines in italics form a prayer within a prayer:

O Lord, you alone are my hope (Psalm 71:5; NLT). 

My hope, my way,
My light each day:
I want to do your bidding;
My peace, my Lamb,
My great “I AM”:
For you are God’s dear Son. 

My truth, my life,
My purchase-price:
You, Lord, are my salvation;
My strength, my blood,
My longed-for love:
May you and I be one.

My Lord, my God,
My staff, my rod:
My body is your temple;
My Guide, my Friend,
My start, my end:
My mind is yours, Lord, too.

My bread, my wine,
My living vine:
My heart is yours forever;
My Shepherd King,
My everything:
My soul belongs to you.

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).

Our bodies will return to the dust of the earth, and the breath of life will go back to God, who gave it to us (Ecclesiastes 12:7; GNT).

22.4.23: When I wake

Ruth Kirk
Dawn, on Pixabay

Today I’m exhausted, so I’ve chosen a prayer written in happier and more peaceful times to share with you:

When I wake up, you are still with me! (Psalm 139:18; NLT).

When I wake, Lord: adoration:
I’m so glad that you are near.
Later on, Lord: intercession,
Knowing that you always hear.

All day long, Lord, is confession:
Sharing every sin with you,
And receiving your forgiveness
For each wrong I think, say, do.

In the evening, Lord, we rest
Together, as I hold your cross.
Then I sleep within your hands:
No sense of pain, or fear, or loss.

Thus, we live, Lord, in communion:
I, a sinner; you, God’s Son,
Delighting in our friendship, Lord,
And sharing everything as one.

No matter what each day may bring,
I know that you, Lord, will be there,
Because we live in unity, through faith,
Hope, love and constant prayer.

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

Pray constantly (1 Thessalonians 5:17; TIV). 

15.4.23: Conscience

Ruth Kirk
Sunset, on Pixabay

Over the last few weeks, since a dream reminded me of something wrong I did many years ago, I’ve been living with a constant sense of dread. Even confessing to the person concerned, and being forgiven by them has made no difference. Once my childhood dread has been re-triggered, it’s not under my conscious control, and seems impossible to shift. However, I’ve now begun working on this with my trauma therapist, and am hoping I can improve again.

Meanwhile, many of the prayers I’m given continue to explore the issues of sin, conscience, guilt, confession, shame, forgiveness and reconciliation.

I always try to maintain a clear conscience before God and all people (Acts 24:16; NLT). 

I close my eyes, Lord,
Face my conscience,
And confess my sins
To you,

Asking you, Lord,
To forgive
The wrongs I think,
And say, and do.

Then I go
To those I’ve hurt,
Apologise
For what I’ve done,

And beg them, Lord,
To grant me pardon,
For the sake
Of your dear Son.

Cling to your faith in Christ, and keep your conscience clear (1 Timothy 1:19; NLT).

References 

If you are presenting a sacrifice at the altar in the Temple and you suddenly remember that someone has something against you, leave your sacrifice there at the altar. Go and be reconciled to that person. Then come and offer your sacrifice to God (Matthew 5:23-4; NLT).

Let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water (Hebrews 10:22; NIV).

11.4.23: Together

Ruth Kirk

This little prayer came to me yesterday morning, as I lay half-asleep:

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

He loves us with unfailing love (Psalm 117:2; NLT). 

I love you, Lord,
And you love me.
Together,
We are one –
My Counsellor,
My Cornerstone,
My Advocate:
God’s Son.

My way, my truth,
My life, my goal;
My Prophet, Priest
And King –
You’re with me
Every moment, Lord:
I’m safe
Beneath your wing.

How often I have I wanted to gather your children together as a hen protects her chicks beneath her wings (Luke 13:34; NLT).

I will find shelter in the protection of your wings (Psalm 61:4; NET).

The Rosary Hospital

Today I fulfilled an ambition, by making a rosary entirely out of parts taken from donations of broken rosaries. All the elements are very small, so it’s a mini-rosary, measuring just 35cm in length. Hopefully, someone will be glad to take it with them wherever they go, in their pocket or bag. I plan to finish it tomorrow.

Mini, recycled, five-decade rosary.

16.3.23: Be with me

Ruth Kirk

I’m struggling with depression, fatigue and headaches at present, which makes writing harder. So today I’ve chosen a simple prayer I received a little while ago:

We take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ (2 Corinthians 10:5; NIV).

Be with me, Lord,
In all my thoughts,
Then you and I
Will share one mind.

Be with me, please,
In all I do,
Then my behaviour
Will be kind.

Be with me, Lord,
In all I say,
Then I will grow like you,
God’s Son.

Be with me:
Make my soul your home,
Then we will always live
As one.

God has united you with Christ Jesus (1 Corinthians 1:30; NLT).