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:

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 wisdom of the prudent is to give thought to their ways, but the folly of fools is deception. (NIV)

Why is a clever person wise? Because he knows what to do. Why is a stupid person foolish? Because he only thinks he knows. (GNB)

Proverbs 14.8

The Good News Bible is as blunt as ever today!

Yesterday we saw that true intelligence is not about having a high IQ (or advanced degrees) but being wise. Today’s proverb expands on that. You don’t need a PhD to ‘give thought’ to your ‘ways’ – but what you do need, is an open mind, and an open heart.

Having been studying Proverbs for some time now, I think this one neatly summarises the main danger for ‘fools’ (or ‘stupid people’ as the Good News puts it). It’s actually the same as the ‘unforgivable’ sin in Mark 3.29.

In Mark 3, the teachers of the law are so convinced of their own right-ness, that they simply refuse to see or listen to what is right in front of them. It is their attitude – not the sin itself – that makes the sin ‘unforgiveable’. They are so sure of their own righteousness and Jesus’ wickedness – and therefore refuse to see their own need for repentance. As saying sorry is a necessary part of receiving forgiveness, refusing to say sorry makes your sin unforgiveable.

In Mark 3 the teachers of the law showed the truth of this proverb. We’d never act or think like though. Would we?

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:

Joshi Family (Alan, Jess, Paul), Jean Austin

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.