unite – Seeking God's face together

Breathing

July 3, 2022July 3, 2022Ruth Kirk

Context: This prayer happened as soon as I woke and began to pray this morning. I was silently repeating God’s personal name, YAHWEH, breathing in on the first syllable, and out on the second. YAH is feminine, whilst WEH is masculine, so I love how both are combined in this truly astonishing name (see reference below). The prayer begins with an in-breath.

God said to Moses, “I am Yahweh – ‘the LORD.'”
(Exodus 6:2; NLT).

You are the God who gives breath to all creatures.
(Numbers 16:22; NLT).

YAH: breathe in, and WEH: breathe out:
With every breath, beyond all doubt,
I breathe you in, and breathe you out –
My Maker.

I live in you, and you in me:
Creator, for eternity,
The One who comes to set me free –
My Saviour.

For I am yours, and you are mine:
You, my temple; I, your shrine;
Together, far beyond all time –
United.

We live in love, unseen, yet true:
The God who comes to make me new,
Who breathes and sighs within, for you
Are YAHWEH.

I am my beloved’s and my beloved is mine.
(Song of Songs 6:3; NIV).

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).

Anyone who accepts his testimony can affirm that God is true.
(John 3:33; NLT).

Reference

“The personal name of God, Yahweh, which is revealed to Moses in Exodus 3, is a remarkable combination of both female and male grammatical endings. The first part of God’s name in Hebrew, “Yah,” is feminine, and the last part, “weh,” is masculine.”

These words are quoted from an article by David Wheeler-Reed, who is Visiting Assistant Professor at Albertus Magnus College, Connecticut. His article is well worth reading, and is available free of charge online at The Conversation: https://theconversation.com/what-the-early-church-thought-about-gods-gender-100077#. I am very grateful for being able to include his words here today.

Just a breath (for K. and R.)

May 8, 2022Ruth Kirk

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

1. Lord,
You’re just a breath away;
A pause, a stillness, every day;
A moment when I stop to say:
I love you.

2. Lord,
You’re just a breath away;
A lull, a silence, every day;
A moment when my thoughts don’t stray:
You love me.

3. Lord,
You’re just a breath away;
A hush, a darkness, every day;
A moment when I cease to pray:
United.

4. Lord,
You’re just a breath away;
A rest, a oneness, every day;
A moment, Father, come what may:
Completeness.

You are complete in Him (Colossians 2:10; BLB).

References

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

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

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

2. The Spirit of God has made me, and the breath of the Almighty gives me life (Job 33:4; NLT).

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

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

3. He himself gives to all people life and breath (Acts 17:25; NASB20).

Clouds and thick darkness surround him (Psalm 97:2; NIV).

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

4. When you take away their breath, they die and return to the dust (Psalm 104:29; NIV).

The dust returns to the ground it came from, and the spirit returns to God who gave it (Ecclesiastes 12:7; 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. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light” (Matthew 11:28-30; NLT).

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).

If you can’t imagine God

May 4, 2022Ruth Kirk

“My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts,” says the Lord.
“And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine”
(Isaiah 55:8; NLT).

God’s voice is glorious in the thunder.
We can’t even imagine the greatness of his power
(Job 37:23; NLT).

1. If you can’t imagine God,
Picture Christ, alone.

2. If you can’t believe in God,
Trust in Christ, alone.

3. If you long to know the truth,
Learn from Christ, alone.

4. If you cannot find your way,
Follow Christ, alone.

5. If you’re walking in the dark,
Cling to Christ, alone.

6. If you thirst for inner peace,
Rest in Christ, alone.

7. If you feel unheard, unloved,
Pray to Christ, alone,

8. And if you want to live in God,
Unite with Christ, alone.

Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father!
(John 14:9; NLT).

References

1. The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being (Hebrews 1:3; NIV).

In Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form (Colossians 2:9; NIV).

Christ is the visible image of the invisible God (Colossians 1:15; NLT).

2. Trust also in me (John 14:1; NLT).

3. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me (Matthew 11:29; NIV).

4. 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).

5. Listen to his voice and cling to him (Deuteronomy 13:4; NLT).

6. 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).

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

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

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

Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe.” Thomas said to him, “My Lord and my God!” (John 20:26-8; NIV).

So you also are complete through your union with Christ (Colossians 2:10; NLT).

Pray without words

March 10, 2022April 8, 2022Ruth Kirk

Before a word is on my tongue
you, Lord, know it completely.
(Psalm 139:4; NIV).

Pray without words;
Confess without words.

Weep without words,
And repent without words.

Teach without words;
Forgive without words.

Serve without words,
And rejoice without words.

Love without words;
Commune without words.

Praise without words,
And unite without words.

🖤

Your godly lives will speak to them without any words.
(1 Peter 3:1; NLT).

I will meet with thee, and I will commune with thee.
(Exodus 25:22; KJV).

Christ’s birth

December 25, 2021December 25, 2021Ruth Kirk

God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.
(John 3:16; NLT).

Thank you, Lord, for loving us,
And giving us your only Son,

So we can believe in him
And follow him on earth.

Then we will not perish, Lord,
For he will lead us back to you:

Reunited, evermore –
Lord, thank you for Christ’s birth.

🖤

The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God (Luke 1:35; KJV).

She gave birth to her first child, a son.
(Luke 2:7; NLT).