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.

Like a snow-cooled drink at harvest time
    is a trustworthy messenger to the one who sends him;
    he refreshes the spirit of his master.
Like clouds and wind without rain
    is one who boasts of gifts never given.

Proverbs 25.13-14 (NIV)

It’s hard to rely on other people.

Messengers were critically important in Solomon’s day. Without WhatsApp, mobile phones, landlines, or Royal Mail, it wasn’t easy to send or receive a message from someone. You needed a messenger: someone you could trust to give your message as you intended, someone you could rely on to give the message to the right person. Such a person was a rare gift.

Many of us are relying on others at the moment, some of us heavily, to provide us with food and household items. We are relying on our political leaders to make good decisions, and our healthcare system and workers to care for us when we get sick. Relying on others is hard – sometimes we need to swallow our pride. Let’s accept help (though we may wish we didn’t need it) with gratitude rather than resentment.

Some of us need to swallow our pride for a different reason. Paul paraphrases the second half of today’s proverb like this: ‘do not think of yourself more highly than you ought’ (Romans 12.3). What’s worse than a messenger who isn’t great, is a messenger who isn’t great but thinks they are.

None of this may apply to you today. But please reflect on whether or not – under God – you need to humble yourself.

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
Bibbey Family (Craig, Jonathan, Shaunnagha)

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.