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:

The Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead
is living in us;
he who raised Jesus from the dead will give us life
because of his Spirit who lives in us.

from Romans 8.11

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.

Whoever heeds discipline shows the way to life,
    but whoever ignores correction leads others astray.

Proverbs 10.17 (NIV)

Here Solomon describes two ways to respond to God’s teaching / correction / discipline.

The first pays attention to it, listens to it, learns from it, and makes every effort to change – this is what it means to ‘heed’.

The second – well, I’m not sure you need me to explain what it means to ‘ignore’ God.

What’s important here – well, look at the second part of each line.

Sometimes we give in to the world’s lie that our faith is private, personal, all about ‘me’. But faith is anything but – faith means family, it involves a whole ‘body’ of people – it’s not only about you.

That gives both an encouragement, and a responsibility.

The responsibility comes because we can lead others astray when we go our own way. On a walk once Jess and I looked back across the plain, and saw people doing a huge circuit instead of walking in a straight line – why? Because one person had gone the wrong way, and everyone else followed them.

The encouragement is that when we listen to God, when we follow him, we help show others the way to life. People listen to and copy what they see.

What sort of example are you? What sort of example would you like to be? How can you show others the way to life?

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
The Brown Family (Abbey, Josh, Mike, Sue)

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.