Category: stillness

Start in silence

Ruth Kirk

Image: Niek Verlaan, Pixabay

🧡

Pray continually (1 Thessalonians 5:17; NIV).

1. Start in silence.
Wait alone.
Make the Lord
Your hiding-place.

Share each grief and fear
With him,
Then God will heal you,
Deep within.

2. Live in stillness.
Go apart.
Make the Lord
Your dwelling-place.

Love and serve
With all your soul,
Then God will come
To make you whole.

3. End in darkness.
Slip away.
Make the Lord
Your resting-place.

He will share
Your final breath,
Then take you home, at last,
In death.

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References

1. You are my hiding place (Psalm 32:7; NLT).

Pour out your hearts to him (Psalm 62:8; NIV).

He forgives all my sins and heals all my diseases (Psalm 103:3; NLT).

2. The eternal God is your dwelling place (Deuteronomy 33:27; ESV).

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

You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your strength, and all your mind (Luke 10:27; NLT).

Serve only the Lord your God (Deuteronomy 13:4; NLT).

Upon him was the chastisement that made us whole (Isaiah 53:5; RSV).

3. His resting place will be glorious (Isaiah 11:10; NASB).

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

The dust will return to the earth, and the spirit will return to God who gave it (Ecclesiastes 12:7; NLT).

I wait

Ruth Kirk

Image: James Chan, Pixabay

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

1. I wait, still and silent.
I worship you, Lord.
I listen; I learn;
And I share.

2. I am your body,
Your breath, bone, and blood;
And we live as one, Lord,
Through prayer.

3. You know all my feelings;
My thoughts, words, and deeds.
You are my light, truth,
And way.

4. You are my faith, and my hope,
And my love —
So, let’s start afresh, Lord,
Today.

🧡

References

1. Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him (Psalm 37:7; NIV).

Be silent before the Sovereign Lord (Zephaniah 1:7; NIV).

Worship the Lord in all his holy splendour (Psalm 96:9; NLT).

I listen carefully to what God the Lord is saying (Psalm 85:8; NLT).

Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart (Matthew 11:29; NKJV).

Pray about everything (Philippians 4:6; NLT).

Pour out your hearts to him (Psalm 62:8; NIV).

You desire honesty from the womb (Psalm 51:6; NLT).

2. You are Christ’s body (1 Corinthians 12:27; NASB).

You 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).

You have received the Holy Spirit and he lives within you (1 John 2:27; NLT).

Pray continually (1 Thessalonians 5:17; NIV).

3. O Lord, you have examined my heart and know everything about me (Psalm 139:1; NLT).

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

You know what I am going to say even before I say it, Lord (Psalm 139:4; NLT).

You know everything I do (Psalm 139:3; NLT).

The Lord is my light (Psalm 27:1; NLT).

I am the way, the truth, and the life (John 14:6; NLT).

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

Let us search and try our ways, and turn again to the Lord (Lamentations 3:40; KJV).

The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning (Lamentations 3:22-3; ESV).

Be still

Ruth Kirk

Image: Karl Egger, Pixabay

💙

1. Be still,
And know that I am God,
Who made both heaven and earth.

2. Be still,
And know that I, alone,
Cause genesis, and birth.

3. Be still,
And know that I am God,
Who gives all creatures breath.

4. Be still,
And know that I am He
Who sends both life and death.

💙

References

1. Be still and know that I am God (Psalm 46:10; NIV).

He made heaven and earth (Psalm 146:6; NLT).

2. Stand still and watch the Lord’s victory (2 Chronicles 20:17; NLT).

He alone is God (1 Timothy 1:17; NLT).

God created human beings in his own image (Genesis 1:27; NLT).

3. Make yourselves low — sit still (Jeremiah 13:18, YLT).

You are the God who gives breath to all creatures (Numbers 27:16; NLT).

4. The Lord gives both life and death (1 Samuel 2:6; NLT).

Trust

Ruth Kirk

Image: Tep Ro, Pixabay

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I trust in you, my God
(Psalm 25:2; NLT).

1. I lift my hands to you in secret,
Trusting you will hear my prayers.

2. I lift my mind to you in stillness,
Trusting you will ease my cares.

3. I lift my heart to you in silence,
Trusting you will pardon me.

4. I lift my soul to you in darkness,
Trusting you will set me free.

Pray continually
(1 Thessalonians 5:17; NIV).

🧡

References

1. Lift up your hands in the sanctuary (Psalm 134:2; NIV).

When you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father who is unseen (Matthew 6:6; NIV).

I love the Lord because he hears my voice and my prayer for mercy (Psalm 116:1; NLT).

2. Be still and know that I am God (Psalm 46:10; NIV).

Pray about everything (Philippians 4:6; NLT).

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

3. Let us lift up our hearts and our hands to God in heaven (Lamentations 3:41; NIV).

Be silent before the Sovereign Lord (Zephaniah 1:7; NIV).

Pour out your heart to him (Psalm 62:8; NLT).

He forgives all my sins (Psalm 103:3; NLT).

4. To you, O Lord, I lift up my soul (Psalm 25:1; NKJV).

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

He has sent me to proclaim that captives will be released, that the blind will see [and] that the oppressed will be set free (Luke 4:18; NLT).

My offering

Ruth Kirk

Image: PictureHunter404, Pixabay

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Bring your offering and come into his presence
(1 Chronicles 16:29; NLT).

🖤

1. Silence
Is my gift of gold,

2. And stillness,
All I can confer;

3. Solitude,
My frankincense,

4. And darkness, Lord,
My precious myrrh.

5. Sorrow
Is my heavy cross,

6. And suffering,
My sacred call;

7. Anguish,
My anointing oil,

8. And dying, Lord,
My bitter gall.

🖤

My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?
(Psalm 22:1; NLT).

🖤

References

1. Be silent before the Sovereign Lord (Zephaniah 1:7; NIV).

1-4. They opened their treasure-chests and gave him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh (Matthew 2:11; NLT).

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

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

4. Darkness is my closest friend (Psalm 88:18; NLT).

5. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows (John 16:33; NLT).

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).

6. If we are to share his glory, we must also share his suffering (Romans 8:17; NLT).

7. In the end you will groan in anguish when disease consumes your body (Proverbs 5:11; NLT).

He has besieged and surrounded me with anguish and distress (Lamentations 3:5; NLT).

When she poured this oil on my body, she did it to prepare me for burial (Matthew 26:12; NET).

8. He has filled me with bitter herbs and given me gall to drink (Lamentations 3: 5; NIV).

The Lord gives both death and life (1 Samuel 2:6; NLT).

In silence

Ruth Kirk


Image: Kohji Asakawa, Pixabay

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1. In silence, Lord,
I hear your voice.

2. In darkness,
I behold your face.

3. In solitude,
I walk with you.

4. In stillness,
I receive your grace.

🧡

References

1. Be silent before the Sovereign Lord (Zephaniah 1:7; NIV).

After the fire [came] a still small voice (1 Kings 19:12; KJV).

2. Moses approached the thick darkness where God was (Exodus 20:21; NIV).

I shall behold your face (Psalm 17:15; NASB).

3. Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed (Mark 1:35; NIV).

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).

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

Let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most (Hebrews 4:16; NLT).

Something unusual (9.12.20. For A.K.)

Ruth Kirk


Image: Michelle Maria, Pixabay

🌹🌹🌹

Something very unusual happened today. It was a cold, grey morning, and I set off to walk the short distance to church at about 9.30, as usual. This generally takes about 5 minutes, depending on how slow I am.

I was the first person to arrive, so I sat down to pray in the stillness, whilst waiting for mass to start at 10 o’clock. I remember checking my watch, only to find that it had stopped at 9.35, so I didn’t know the exact time.

The church was quite dark, apart from a small spotlight above the statue of Our Lady of Rushen, and a dimly-illuminated panel of the Last Supper on the front of the altar. As always, the red tabernacle flame was flickering in its glass holder.

One by one, a few people arrived quietly, the silence deepening as they settled down to pray.

Hearing the priest come out of the sacristy, I looked up, and watched as he prepared for the service by lighting the altar candles, and the first two Advent candles. These were on an ornate metal stand, next to the altar. The first took several seconds to light, but the second burned immediately.

As the second flame steadied, the priest, the stand, and a small area around them were suddenly bathed in a glowing, translucent, Marian-blue light. Time seemed to stand still. I gazed in wonder, unsure of what I was seeing. Were my eyes playing tricks on me? Was I imagining it? Could anyone else see what was happening? The effect was soft, yet bright; exquisitely beautiful, mysterious, and awesome. Overwhelmed and disturbed, I hid my face, and prayed, full of confusion. I had no sense of how long this continued, but it couldn’t have been more than a few minutes.

Then there was a click, and the main church lights came on. I looked up, but the radiant turquoise-blue light had disappeared. The little sacring-bell rang; we all stood up as the priest entered to say mass. I knew it was exactly 10am, as he is always very punctual.

After the service, I stayed in the church to pray, then walked back slowly, feeling very strange, and trying to make sense of the whole experience.

When I got home, I found an online message from a friend, which included the following sentence:

May you know the stirring of His Spirit within you,
guiding and sustaining you today.

The message had been sent at 9.44am, which must have been just around the time when the strange light appeared.

🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹

It’s four in the morning

Ruth Kirk

Image: skeeze, Pixabay

1. It’s four in the morning.
I’m here, all alone,
Waiting for you, Lord,
To speak.

2. This is my desert.
This is my rest.
You are the pathway
I seek.

3. It’s five in the morning.
I’m silent and still,
Longing to gaze
On your face.

4. This is my wasteland.
This is my peace.
You are the Spirit
Of grace.

5. It’s six in the morning.
I lie in the dark,
Yearning to witness
Your light.

6. This is my wilderness.
This is my joy.
You are the fountain
Of life.

 

References

1. For God alone, O my soul, wait in silence (Psalm 62:5; ESV).

2. [Jesus] departed thence in a boat, into a desert place apart (Matthew 13:14; WEB).

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).

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

3. Be silent before the Sovereign Lord (Zephaniah 1:7; NIV).

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

When I awake, I will see you face to face and be satisfied (Psalm 17:15; NLT).

4. I provide water in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland (Isaiah 43:20; NIV).

My peace I give you (John 14:27; NIV).

I will pour on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem the Spirit of grace (Zechariah 12:10; NKJV).

5. I lie awake thinking of you, meditating on you through the night (Psalm 63:6; NLT).

The people who walk in darkness will see a great light. For those who live in a land of deep darkness, a light will shine (Isaiah 9:2; NLT).

6. Jesus often withdrew to the wilderness for prayer (Luke 5:16; NLT).

I will go to the altar of God, to God – the source of all my joy (Psalm 43:4; NLT).

You are the fountain of life (Psalm 36:9; NLT).

Night prayer

Ruth Kirk

Image: Patricia Alexandre, Pixabay

I lie awake thinking of you,
meditating on you through the night
(Psalm 63:6; NLT).

1. In silent contemplation
I adore you,
Opening my heart and soul
Before you;

2. Sharing all my joy, and fear
And sorrow;
Ready, Lord, to start again,
Tomorrow.

3. In silent contemplation
I adore you,
Resting here, alone, and still,
Before you;

4. Sharing in your joy, and fear
And sorrow;
Ready, Lord, to start again,
Tomorrow.

References

1. Be silent before the Sovereign Lord (Zephaniah 1:7; NIV).

We adore you as the one who is over all things (1 Chronicles 29:11; NLT).

You desire honesty from the womb (Psalm 51:6; NLT).

2. Pray about everything (Philippians 4:6; NLT).

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

When I awake, I am still with you (Psalm 139:18; NIV).

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

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

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

4. If we are to share his glory, we must also share his suffering (Romans 8:17; NLT).

His mercies begin afresh each morning (Lamentations 3:22; NLT).

Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past (Isaiah 43:18; NIV).

Presence

Ruth Kirk

Image: Free-Photos, Pixabay

1. Darkness is as beautiful as light,
For you are present;

2. Solitude, as welcome as a friend,
For you are near.

3. Silence is as intimate as speech,
For you are with us;

4. Stillness, as dynamic, Lord, as dance,
For you are here.

References

1. To you the night shines as bright as day. Darkness and light are the same to you (Psalm 139:12; NLT).

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

2. We can rejoice in our wonderful relationship with God because our Lord Jesus Christ has made us friends of God (Romans 5:11; NLT).

We give thanks because you are near (Psalm 75:1; NLT).

3. After the fire [came] a still small voice (1 Kings 19:12; KJV).

God is with us (2 Chronicles 13:12; NLT).

4. The Lord of Heaven’s Armies is here among us (Psalm 46:11; NLT).