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 15.21

I was once driving along the motorway, music playing, singing along, happy with everything that life brings. I had a car, I was on holiday, it was a sunny day, life was good. I was full of joy.

Unfortunately this was in the days before satnavs, and I had taken the motorway North instead of South. As I was in a strange part of the country, I didn’t recognise most of the place names on the road signs. And, confident in my ability to navigate anywhere, I failed to realise that the sun was on the wrong side of the car.

It took an embarrassingly long time for me to realise that I was heading North: I think it may have been a sign for Liverpool, which is nowhere near Bristol. You know that sinking feeling in the pit of your stomach when you realise you’ve made a big mistake?

Actually, do you know that feeling?

Because sometimes we don’t feel it when we should. It’s so easy to be going along, utterly convinced of our own rightness, ignoring (in my case, literally) the signs – and quite happy too. But – as on a motorway – if we aren’t careful we can end up very much in the wrong place.

What’s wise is to learn to notice and listen to God’s nudges. We need to learn to feel that sinking feeling – because it may just stop us, well, sinking.

And for that, we need to learn to shut up and be quiet for a bit, and ask him to help us see things as he does. So let’s do that now.

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:

Dennis & Dorothy Holland, Frank & Sue Joyce

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: Mission Apprentice (Mandy)

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.