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!
If you would like to receive these by email, please click here.
Opening
Speak these words out loud:
This is what the Sovereign Lord, the Holy One, says:
‘In repentance and rest is your salvation,
in quietness and trust is your strength.’
from Isaiah 30.15
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 wise woman builds her house, but with her own hands the foolish one tears hers down. (NIV)
Homes are made by the wisdom of women, but are destroyed by foolishness. (GNB)
Proverbs 14.1
With trepidation I include a proverb that talks about biological sex…
Paul is quite clear that men and women are equal in God’s eyes. Men are not ‘better’ – and neither are women. But, saying men and women are equal is not the same as saying they are equivalent, that there is no intrinsic difference between men and women.
Most of what I’ve read about the brain suggests there are far more and far greater differences between individuals, than between ‘men’ and ‘women’. Having said that, I’m no neuroscientist! But what I do know is this: people are more than their brains. God gave us a body, a mind, and the breath of his Spirit: these three together are what make me ‘me’ – and you ‘you’.
Can men and women both participate in building (or breaking) a ‘home’? Absolutely! Can a man living by himself make a ‘home’? Definitely (I have!). Does ‘building a home’ mean women can’t work, full time or otherwise? Of course it doesn’t!
But do women have a particular calling and gift of wisdom from God to build homes? I’ve certainly experienced that in my life, and I’m sure it’s not all down to cultural conditioning. How about you? Perhaps, whether you are a man or woman, you could spend some time giving thanks for the women (and men) in your life who have built the homes to which you have belonged.
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:
Bruce & Judith Ackers, Tony & Janet Land
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.