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 15.20

There are times growing up when we push hard against our parents, when we resent their discipline and boundaries – or struggle when there are none. A couple of weeks ago we thought about how well (or not) we receive discipline. Sometimes there are times as grown-ups when we struggle with our parents!

I know that people reading this are at very different stages of life. Many of us no longer have living parents. Some of us have (very) difficult relationships with your parents. Others of us are perhaps too close to our parents.

But (speaking as a son): how often do we stop consider the effect our behaviour has on our parents? From my generation down, there is perhaps a selfishness that leads to short- (or rather self-) sightedness. But, I’m afraid to say, obvious though it may be in young adults, we did not invent selfishness and self-centredness.

If your parents are still living, perhaps you could ask yourself: am I selfish in the way I relate to them? (For that is surely the way most of us ‘despise’ our mothers.) Do I make decisions and act to bring them joy?

If they aren’t, the general question of whether you live focused on others or yourself still applies. Are you actually as selfish as ‘Generation Snowflake’?

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:

Mary Wilson, Cynthia Taylor, Dot Betts

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: Pre-Schools in Amington

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.