Category: Sorrow

In the heart of the gospel

Ruth Kirk

A meditation on the lifelong journey of following, learning from, and loving, Jesus.

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).

The Lord ordained that those who proclaim the gospel should live by the gospel (1 Corinthians 9:14; HNV).

May I live in the heart
Of the gospel,
Walk in the footsteps
Of Christ,
And follow his way
And example,
So I’m his, every day
Of my life.

May I dwell in the heart
Of his teaching,
Cling to his hand
As I climb,
And grow more like him
Through each sorrow,
So I’m his, to the end
Of my time.

May I rest in the heart
Of his presence,
Sharing his love
With each breath,
United on earth,
And in heaven,
So I’m one with him
Far beyond death.

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).

References

I have given you an example to follow. Do as I have done to you (John 13:15; NLT).

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

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

Following Jesus

Ruth Kirk

Always be joyful (1 Thessalonians 5:16; NLT).

My heart rejoices in the LORD! (1 Samuel (2:1; NLT).

You died to this life, and your real life is hidden with Christ in God (Colossians 3:3; 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).

Joy, despite darkness,
Though hidden from sight –
I follow you, Jesus,
For you are my light,

Joy, despite sorrow,
Though hidden from all –
I cling to you, Jesus,
For I hear your call.

Joy, despite trouble,
Though hidden within –
I wait on you, Jesus,
For you are my King.

Joy despite suffering sickness,
Though hidden each day –
I walk with you, Jesus,
For you are my way.

You are my staff, Lord,
My help as I climb –
My guide on this journey;
My bread, and my wine.

You are my truth, Lord,
My bright morning star –
And you’ll be beside me,
When I cross the bar.

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),

You who seek God, take heart! (Psalm 69:32; CSB).

References

If you are walking in darkness, without a ray of light, trust in the LORD and rely on your God (Isaiah 50:10; NLT).

The LORD is my light and my salvation, so why should I be afraid (Psalm 27:1; NLT).

I am the light of the world (John 8:12; NLT).

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

He is Lord of all lords and King of all kings. And his called and chosen and faithful ones will be with him (Revelation 17:14; NLT).

My heart has heard you say, “Come and talk with me.” And my heart responds, “LORD, I am coming” (Psalm 27:8; NLT).

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

I am the living bread that came down from from heaven (John 6:51; NLT).

As they were eating, Jesus took some bread and blessed it. Then he broke it in pieces and gave it to the disciples, saying, “Take this and eat it, for this is my body.” And he took a cup of wine and gave thanks to God for it. He gave it to them and said, “Each of you drink from it, for this is my blood, which confirms the covenant between God and his people. It is poured out as a sacrifice to forgive the sins of many” (Matthew 26:26-8; NLT).

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

I am the bright morning star (Rev 22:16; NIV).

Here I am, Jesus!

Ruth Kirk

Here I am (Genesis 22:1; NLT).

Here I am, Jesus! Do with me
As you will.
Send me your pain and grief –
I’ll love you still.

Share with me all your sorrows,
From on high,
Yet will I cling to you, Lord,
Till I die.

Share with me all your anguish,
Christ, my King –
Lord, let me share your passion,
Deep within.

“Do with me as you will” (Blessed Charles de Foucauld, Perplexity).

References

Accept the way God does things, for who can straighten what he has made crooked? Enjoy prosperity while you can, but when hard times strike, realize that both come from God. Remember that nothing is certain in this life (Ecclesiastes 7:13-14; NLT).

And Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word (Luke 1:38; KJV).

Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word (Luke 2:29; KJV).

Then Jesus left them a second time and prayed, “My Father! If this cup cannot be taken away unless I drink it, your will be done” (Matthew 26:42; NLT).

Acknowledgement

With thanks for the assistance of my AI writing companion.

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).

One with God

Ruth Kirk

When you pray, go to your room, shut the door, and pray to God who is in that secret place (Matthew 6:6; TIB).

We’re one in silence,
One in stillness,
One in secret:
One with God.

We’re one in dryness,
One in trouble,
One in failure:
One with God.

We’re one in darkness,
One in sorrow,
One in anguish:
One with God.

We’re one in exile,
One in torment,
One in dying:
One with God.

Nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord (Romans 8:39; NLT). 

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

Into your hands I commit my spirit; deliver me LORD, my faithful God (Psalm 31:5; NIV).

References

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

Praise be to the Lord, to God our Saviour, who daily bears our burdens (Psalm 68:19; NIV).

In all their suffering he also suffered, and he personally rescued them. In his love and mercy he redeemed them. He lifted them up and carried them through all the years (Isaiah 63:9; NLT).

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

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

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).

God’s way

Ruth Kirk

God’s way is perfect (2 Samuel 22:31; NLT).

You can enter God’s Kingdom only through the narrow gate… The gateway to life is very narrow and the road is difficult, and only a few ever find it (Matthew 7:13-14; NLT).

Enter through the narrow gate;
Enter through your darkness.
Enter through your suffering:
For then you’ll find God’s way.

Follow Christ, who walks here, too;
Follow his example.
Follow in his steps each day:
For then you’ll learn God’s truth.

Love and serve all those you meet;
Love and serve each stranger.
Love and serve your enemies:
For then you’ll see God’s light.

Cling to Christ, whatever comes,
Praying in his Spirit.
God is in your suffering:
So seek God in your plight.

In all their suffering he also suffered, and he personally rescued them. In his love and mercy he redeemed them. He lifted them up and carried them through all the years (Isaiah 63:9; NLT).

References

Keep on seeking and you will find (Matthew 7:7; NLT).

I am the way the truth and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me (John 14:6; 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).

Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion (Ephesians 6:18; NLT).

Praise be to the Lord, to God our Saviour, who daily bears our burdens (Psalm 68:19; NIV).

Enter your wilderness

Ruth Kirk

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

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

Enter your wilderness; enter your darkness;
Enter your silence and stillness, alone.
Wait for me there – I am longing to teach you.
Come: seek me now, in your mind.

Enter your wretchedness; enter your failures;
Enter your silence and stillness, alone.
Sit with me there – I am yearning to teach you.
Come: find me now, in your heart.

Enter your loneliness; enter your sorrows;
Enter your silence and stillness, alone.
Rest with me there – I am aching to help you.
Come: meet me now, in your soul.

Enter your suffering; enter your anguish;
Enter your silence and stillness, alone.
Stay with me there – I am ready to heal you.
Come: let me now make you whole.

He bruises, but He binds up; He wounds, but His hands make whole (Job 5:18; NKJV).

References

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

Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness (Matthew 4:1; NLT).

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

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

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” (Matthew 11:28-9; NLT).

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

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

Don’t you realise 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).

Those who wait on the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint (Isaiah 40:31; NKJV).

Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened (Luke 11:9-10; 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).