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:

As for God, his way is perfect: the Lord’s word is flawless;
he shields all who take refuge in him.

from 2 Samuel 22.31

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 15.11

This is one of those proverbs where I think the Good News is really helpful in seeing what it is all about.

I’m not a very secretive person, so I don’t try to hide things from Jess; but even if I did, I’m pretty sure she’d work it out. She regularly ‘Sherlocks’ me… just this morning she walked in from her night shift, came into my study and said, ‘How was your exercise this morning?’ I said, ‘Could you smell me from the back door?!’ ‘No,’ came the reply, ‘I saw your dressing gown in the dining room.’ She reasoned I had taken it off in there and then been too hot to put it back on… exactly right!

It’s an obvious thing to say we can’t hide our thoughts from God. But I’m not sure many of us truly believe it in the sense that it affects how we think and act. After all, would you act differently if Jesus were standing by your side? Would you speak differently if he were in the room? I’m pretty sure you would!

Because he isn’t physically present, it’s easy to forget. But we might describe being a disciple as, ‘Realising Jesus is with us all the time, and acting accordingly.’

There are two ways to respond to that truth. We can be challenged, given a wake-up call, make a fresh decision to repent and try harder. Or we can rejoice and give thanks for that wonderful promise in Matthew 28.20: ‘I am with you always.’ I’ll let you decide how you want to respond today – even that’s in both ways!

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.

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.