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.
The righteous person is rescued from trouble, and it falls on the wicked instead. (NIV)
The righteous are protected from trouble; it comes to the wicked instead. (GNT)
Proverbs 11.8
Here is one of the proverbs that talks about the way things should be, and that one day will be.
The tricky thing is the question of who is ‘righteous’.
On the one hand, it seems pretty clear that not everyone is the same: some people are more wicked than others. Or rather, some people do more wicked things. This is why when I talk to people about sin I often get a reply, ‘Well I’m a good person – I don’t steal / murder / abuse / etc.’
On the other hand, do you really think you know someone you could describe as truly ‘righteous’? Someone who never does or thinks or says anything wrong?
Most of us live in between, in the shades of ‘grey’ – which is a great place to be if you compare yourself to those living in darkness. This is what the Pharisees did in Jesus’ day. They have become synonymous with self-righteousness, i.e. deciding I am righteous because I am better than them.
But shades of grey are not so great if you compare yourself to those living wholly in the light. And there is only one of those: Jesus.
The good news is we can be in him – in his family, adopted as Jesus’ sisters and brothers, treated as though we are righteous, like Jesus. That means although troubles will come – because we are all ‘wicked’ – God’s children will be rescued – because in Jesus we are ‘righteous’.
John 1.12: ‘to all who did receive [Jesus], to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God’ (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
The Widdas Family (Mandy, Mark, Sam, Sophie)
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.