Our church building may be closed, but God’s eyes are open and his ears are attentive to our prayers (2 Chronicles 7.15).

Welcome back to the daily proverb!

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Opening

Speak these words out loud:

The Spirit of God has made us;
the breath of the Almighty gives us life.

from Job 33.4

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.

Proverbs 12.21

It’s been a while since we had a proverb about the way things should be, and one day will be. The relationship between good and bad, and the consequences of our behaviour, is not as mechanical as this.

And yet I think we can take huge encouragement from this proverb. I like the word ‘overtakes’ in the NIV translation. I have a picture of a car chase: the goodie being chased by the baddie, snapping at his (or her) heels, but never quite overtaking her (or him).

For those of us who are in Jesus (and therefore righteous, not because we are perfect but because he is perfect), evil will snap at our heels, but never overtake us. We will know trouble and hardship, persecution, danger and pain – of course we will – but it will not have the last word.

If there is a difficult situation in your life right now, or you feel like trouble is clinging close and you can’t shake it off – hear this promise from God loud and clear: no harm overtakes the righteous – so put your trust in Jesus, and he will keep you safe; evil will not overtake you.

Prayers

Pray for Five – pray for your five friends / family from Thy Kingdom Come.

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:

Geoff & Jan Wyatt, Janet Hine, Pat Ackroyd

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.