Category: spirit

When I wake

Ruth Kirk

I know that the Lord is always with me. I will not be shaken, for he is right beside me (Psalm 16:8; NLT).

1. When I wake, Lord,
You are with me.
When I pray
We join as one.

2. When I walk
You go with me
In rain, or storm,
Or summer sun.

3. When I serve,
We work together.
When I’m sick,
You share my pain.

4. When I sleep,
You rest beside me
Till we rise
To start again.

5. Lord, in danger,
You are with me,
Guarding me
With staff and rod;

6. And, in death,
You’ll still be here,
To guide my spirit
Back to God.

References

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

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

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

3. The Lord worked with them (Mark 16:20; NIV).

In all their suffering he also suffered (Isaiah 63:9; NLT).

4. Then Jesus said, “Come to me all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28-30; NLT).

In peace I will lie down and sleep, for you alone, O Lord, will keep me safe (Psalm 4:8; NLT).

5. When you go through deep waters, I will be with you. When you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown. When you walk through the fire of oppression, you will not be burned up; the flames will not consume you (Isaiah 43:2; NLT).

You are close beside me. Your rod and your staff protect and comfort me (Psalm 23:4; NLT).

6. Even when I walk through the dark valley of death, I will not be afraid, for you are close beside me (Psalm 23:4; NLT, alternative translation).

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

Photo acknowledgement: Lucy Chian

 

All I need to do

Ruth Kirk

Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find;
knock and the door will be opened to you (Matthew 7:7; NIV).

1. All I need to do, Lord,
Is to seek you.

2. All I need to do
Is ask the way.

3. All I need to do, Lord,
Is to knock on my soul’s door,

4. Until you throw it open,
Every day.

5. For you are waiting there, Lord,
Always present,

6. Just to hear me say:
Forgive my sin.

7. Then we reunite, Lord,
As one spirit,

8. And dwell in love together,
Deep within.

References

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

If you seek him, you will find him (1 Chronicles 28:9; NLT).

2. Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for (Matthew 7:7; NLT).

Ask for the old, godly way, and walk in it (Jeremiah 6:16; NLT).

3. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you (Matthew 7:7; NLT).

4. Never stop praying (1 Thessalonians 5:16; NLT).

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

6. Forgive us our sins as we have forgiven those who sin against us (Matthew 6:12; NLT).

7. I have given them the glory you gave me, so they may be one as we are one (John 17:22; NLT).

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

When I die

Ruth Kirk

Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil: for thou art with me.
(Psalm 23:4; KJV).

1. When I die,
I’ll leave behind this body.

2. When I die,
These thoughts will simply cease.

3. When I die,
This heart will beat no more, Lord,

4. But my spirit, which is you,
Will rest in peace.

References

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

2. How frail is humanity! How short is life, how full of trouble! We blossom like a flower and then wither. Like a passing shadow, we quickly disappear (Job 14:1-2; NLT).

3. My heart has turned to wax; it has melted within me (Psalm 22:14; NIV).

4. There is a spirit within people, the breath of the Almighty within them (Job 32:8; NLT).

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

We all share the same Spirit (1 Corinthians 12:13; NLT).

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

Those who follow godly paths will rest in peace when they die (Isaiah 57:2; NLT).

Contemplation

Ruth Kirk

I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love
(Romans 8:38; NLT).

1. To contemplation, Lord,
I bring my body –
My weakness, tiredness,
Restlessness and pain.

2. To contemplation, Lord,
I bring my thinking –
My hidden judgements,
Envy and disdain.

3. To contemplation, Lord,
I bring my feelings –
My sorrow, longing,
Anger, guilt, and fear.

4. To contemplation, Lord,
I bring my spirit –
My faith, and hope, and love,
For you are here.

References

1. The flesh is weak (Mark 14:38; NIV).

2. You know my thoughts even when I’m far away (Psalm 139:2; NLT).

3. The Lord looks at the heart (1 Samuel 16:7; NIV).

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

God is with us (Matthew 1:23; NLT).

Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me (Psalm 23:4; KJV).

From earth to infinity

Ruth Kirk

1. From earth, Lord, to infinity
We all return, one day.

2. From suffering to perfect health
Our spirits fly away.

3. From wretchedness to happiness
Our souls, at last, will come

4. From death to immortality,
When our race has been run.

5. Yet all this can be ours in life:
Your kingdom is so near –

6. A prayer, kind word, or action
And your kingdom, Lord, is here.

7. Then we will live in heaven on earth,
Released from fear and sin,

8. United in our love, Lord,
For your kingdom is within!

References

1. Return, O my soul, to your rest (Psalm 116:7: ESV).

2. He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain (Revelation 21:4; NLT).

3. Come and share your master’s happiness! (Matthew 25:21; NIV).

4. To those who by persistence in doing good seek glory, honour and immortality, he will give eternal life (Romans 2:7; NIV).
I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, and I have remained faithful (2 Timothy 4:7; NLT).

5. Above all, you must live as citizens of heaven (Philippians 1:27; NLT).
The Kingdom of God is near (Luke 10:11; NLT).

6. Don’t just pretend to love others. Really love them (Romans 12:9; NLT).
The Kingdom of God is already among you (Luke 17:21; NLT).

7. Perfect love casts out fear (1 John 4:18; NKJV).
He gave his life to free us from from every kind of sin (Titus 2:14; NLT).

8. Whoever is united with the Lord is one with him in spirit (1 Corinthians 6:17; NIV).
The kingdom of God is within you (Luke 17:21; NKJV).

The breath of life

Ruth Kirk

1. Lord,
You are the Breath of Life:
Our flesh, our bones, our blood;
Our strength, our mind, our heartbeat,
Our spirit, and our love.

2. Lord,
You are the Bread of Life:
Our water, and our wine;
Our land, our flocks, our shelter,
Our harvest, and our vine.

3. Lord,
You are the Light of Life:
Our lantern, staff, and rod;
Our way, our guide, our Shepherd,
Our Saviour, and our God.

4. Lord,
You are the Book of Life:
Our crucible, our soul;
Our faith, our hope, our passion,
Our dawning, and our goal.

References

1. He breathed the breath of life into the man’s nostrils, and the man became a living person (Genesis 2:7; NLT).

2. I am the bread of life (John 6:48; NLT).

3. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life
(John 8:12; NIV).

4. I will never erase their names from the Book of Life (Revelation 3:5; NLT).

You give me being

Ruth Kirk

Father God,
You give me being.

Jesus Christ,
You make me whole.

Holy Ghost,
You are my helper.

Three-in-One
You are my soul.

References

Let every created thing give praise to the Lord, for he issued his command, and they came into being (Psalm 148:5; 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).

He will give you another Advocate, who will never leave you. He is the Holy Spirit, who leads into all truth (John 14:16-17; NLT).

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

Return, O my soul, to your rest (Psalm 116:7: ESV).

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

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