Our church building may be closed, but God’s eyes are open and his ears are attentive to our prayers (2 Chronicles 7.15).
Each day I intend to publish the proverb from our Lent Prayers, a short reflection, and prayers for the people on our Lent prayer calendar. If you would like to receive these by email, please click here.
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.
The crucible for silver and the furnace for gold,
but the Lord tests the heart.
Proverbs 17.3 (NIV)
Refiners use a really high heat to melt silver and gold. In that high heat, impurities are burned away, or float to the surface where they can be scraped off and discarded.
The refiner repeats this process time and again until they are left with pure metal – and they know they’re finished when they can see their reflection clearly in the melted metal.
This is how God ‘tests’ (or ‘proves’) the human heart. It isn’t an exam we have to pass, it is a purifying process – which can sometimes hurt. But God’s purpose is good: to see his face reflected in us.
And it is only God who can do this. We may be able to test and purify gold and silver, but we cannot test other people’s hearts, or purify our own; that is for God and God alone to do.
In the time of prayer, picture gold and silver being melted and purified by a patient and loving refiner – and, if you can, your own heart being softened, melted, purified by your loving heavenly Father.
Prayers
Our daily prayer sheet includes the names of everyone for whom we have a signed church family directory form.
Today we are praying for
The Price Family (Ash, Elsie, Emilia, Matt)
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.