Our church building may be closed, but God’s eyes are open and his ears are attentive to our prayers (2 Chronicles 7.15).

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Opening

Speak these words out loud:

Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High
    will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.
I will say of the Lord, ‘He is my refuge and my fortress,
    my God, in whom I trust.’

Psalm 91.1-2 (NIV)

Today’s Proverb

Read the proverb through three or four times, slowly. Pause in-between, maybe write it out by hand – savour the words, let them speak deeply to you.

Start children off on the way they should go,
and even when they are old they will not turn from it.

Proverbs 22.6 (NIV)

This is the Bible’s version of ‘old habits die hard’.

For some of us, our childhood was quite a long time ago. But I suspect that some of the habits and behaviours we learned back then are still hard to shake – for example, getting down from the dinner table before you’ve finished your plate of food… NO!!

There is a positive and a negative here. Bad habits are so hard to get rid of! Whether its picking your nose or something worse – these are things we barely even realised we’re doing.

But when we form good habits, particularly in our childhood years, they stay with us. Parents and grandparents, take note! You can help your (grand)children in their faith for years to come, by helping them form good habits now.

But it’s never too late to start forming good habits. This time of isolation and lockdown is a wonderful opportunities to work on forming good habits of daily prayer and spending time with God.

Prayers

Our daily prayer sheet includes the names of everyone for whom we have a signed church family directory form – and local parishes and senior church leaders.

Today we are praying for
Rose Swaddle, Linda Dearne, and Simon Dearne

Father, please bless them with your peace, and a deep awareness of your presence with them, every day and in every way.

Please pray for our leaders and healthcare workers, and all those working to keep us safe, well, and fed. Please pray that people would unselfishly put others before themselves, and buy only what they need.

Church Family Prayer

Come Holy Spirit,
and make us one in heart and action,
so that we can serve God faithfully:
abounding in love,
maturing in holiness,
and seeking out the lost.
Help us grow as disciples of Jesus –
in commitment, in depth, and in number –
that we may be a blessing to Amington;
to the glory and praise of God the Father.

Amen.

The Lord’s Prayer

Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins
as we forgive those who sin against us.
Lead us not into temptation
but deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power,
and the glory are yours
now and for ever.
Amen.

Closing Prayer

Unless the Lord builds the house,
the builders labour in vain.
Let us fix our eyes on Jesus
the only way to the Father.

Psalm 127.1, Hebrews 12.2 & John 14.6

May Christ our Saviour give us peace.
Amen.