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.

Eat honey, my son, for it is good;
honey from the comb is sweet to your taste.
Know also that wisdom is like honey for you:
if you find it, there is a future hope for you,
and your hope will not be cut off.

Proverbs 24.13-14 (NIV)

I don’t think I’ve ever actually eaten honey straight from a honey comb, but it sounds delicious!

I definitely have a sweet tooth. We have to ration the chocolate and sweets we have in our house – Jess has even been known to hide them from me – because I have serious self-control issues when it comes to sweet things!

If only I desired wisdom that much…

In the Bible ‘wisdom’ does not mean ‘knowing stuff’. ‘Wisdom’ is God’s way of seeing things, God’s way of doing things, God’s way of ordering the world.

Therefore ‘finding wisdom’ means learning to walk alongside God on our journey (or to use Story language – aligning our lower story with his Upper Story). As we walk with God, as we read his word, as we talk and listen to him, as we make his priorities our own, we will find true wisdom.

Paul puts it like this: ‘Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind’ (Romans 12.2, NIV).

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
Doug & Irene Dean, and Patricia Wood

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.