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

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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.

Proverbs 14.17

This one follows on rather nicely from yesterday! How often our tempers make us act rashly – and foolishly. I’m sure I’m not the only one that has said or done something in the heat of the moment, red mist fully descended, that I later regret once I’ve calmed down?! We feel hurt or threatened or embarrassed so we lash out and say things that are untrue or unkind.

Then there are those times – hopefully less frequent – when we deliberately set out or do something to hurt someone or ‘get even’. These may be subtle, passive aggressive comments and jibes; they may be behind someone’s back when we gossip or ‘share’ information we shouldn’t; they may be more obvious and physical.

Hopefully yesterday you thought about ways that you might be able to learn how better to stay calm and make good, prayerful decisions. If you did, it should apply equally today – though in the heat of passion it may be even harder to do.

Jesus taught us not to get even, but to love even those who hate us. How can you speak love and kindness to those who hurt you, instead of getting angry or calmly planning revenge? Or, to put it another way, are you aware of who it is that really winds you up – so you can prepare yourself in advance when you see them?

All this comes with one huge exception: if you are suffering from domestic abuse (physical or emotional), this does not apply. Please speak to me or someone else – there is help, you do not have to ‘turn the other cheek’.

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:

Taylor Family (Alex, Chris, Holly, John, Ruby)

Father, please bless them with your peace, and a deep awareness of your presence with them, every day and in every way.

We also pray for: Place of Welcome

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.