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 15.12

No-one likes to be wrong. It’s embarrassing when it happens in public, like when I confidently put the wrong time on a poster… we had to move the event to match the advertising which had gone out everywhere!

But there is a difference between not liking something, and pretending it doesn’t exist. I can’t stand the smell of cauliflower, it makes me retch – but I’m not going to insist there’s no such thing as cauliflower! That would be ridiculous…

Human beings are rather good at what is sometimes called ‘confirmation bias’: we think something is true, and interpret everything else to confirm what we think, even if it proves us wrong. For example, people who voted Remain are more likely to read negative stories about Brexit, and people who voted Leave are more likely to read negative stories about the EU – confirming what they already think.

That’s bad enough – but then we take it to the next level by avoiding or ignoring things or people that show us we are wrong and need correcting. It’s uncomfortable – but that doesn’t make it untrue.

One of the most important aspects of wisdom is learning to see things as they are, not as we think they are. If you want to grow in wisdom, a good way to pray is to ask God to open your eyes to see things as he sees them, and learn to receive his loving correction to your own errors.

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:

Irene Davies, Alan & Joyce Page, Rita Harris

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: Local Councillors

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.