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.

Proverbs 14.6

The ‘mocker’ or ‘conceited’ person is someone who is sure of their own right-ness. Such a person is impossible to teach.

However, being ‘teachable’ is a central component of being a disciple of Jesus. The Twelve often referred to Jesus as ‘Rabbi’ (teacher). When Jesus sent the Holy Spirit, he said he would ‘teach’ us ‘all things’ (John 14.26). In his Great Commission he commanded his disciples to ‘teach’ others – i.e. those who come later need to learn.

Even without all that: are you wiser than God? I hope you would say ‘no’ to that question! But here’s the sting: are you willing to learn from God when he teaches you, through the Bible, and through your Christian brothers and sisters (and maybe even, heaven forbid, church ministers)?

This is not about being ‘clever’, as if the higher your IQ the more teachable you are (sometimes the exact opposite is true!). It’s about humility, and having the intelligence and discernment to realise our primary position should be at Jesus’ feet, listening and learning – as opposed to telling.

Plus, think of all the love and care and attention that good teachers pour out on their students – that is all ours in Christ, if we are willing to receive it!

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:

Bibbey Family (Craig, Jonathan, Shaunnagha)

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.