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.
From the fruit of their lips people enjoy good things, but the unfaithful have an appetite for violence. (NIV)
Good people will be rewarded for what they say, but those who are deceitful are hungry for violence. (GNB)
Proverbs 13.2
It’s no secret that I am a big fan of Apple products. And no, I don’t mean Granny Smiths: Apple Computer. I love the way they work, the build quality, the innovation, the way they so often do things right (though not always).
A few years ago I read Walter Isaac’s biography of Steve Jobs (one of the founders of Apple). Jobs was quite the entrepreneur: when the second-most-successful business you create is Pixar (who changed the face of animated films with Toy Story…) you know you’ve had a stellar career!
One of the phrases associated with Steve Jobs was the ‘reality distortion field’: he seemed to be able to force people to do things they thought impossible, by sheer strength of will, as if he could bend reality and make it fit what he wanted. He often did this by bullying others. People were in awe of him, in a positive and negative way: he was admired and feared.
Sadly, this is how the world works. ‘But not so with you…’ Jesus said: he calls his people to Be Different.
How do you speak to other people? How do you treat people? I’m asking not only about your family, but when you are out: do you thank the bus driver, smile at the shop assistant, speak politely to the person in a call centre? Have you considered that being kind rather than condescending might get you further with them?
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:
Muriel Smith, Albert Pegg, Simon Garratt
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.