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:

Let us build with care,
building on the foundation of Jesus Christ.

from 1 Corinthians 3.10-11

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 15.29

It’s a tough one today, especially for those of us who have prayed (and prayed, and prayed) for something, only to feel like God hasn’t listened or answered. Does that make me ‘wicked’ or ‘evil’? Does that mean God doesn’t love me? If, like me, you’ve ever thought something like that, this proverb will probably punch you square in the nose.

But… My first full-time job after being ordained was in the North East, a four-hour drive away from my parents. It felt at times like I was very far away. But who had moved: them, or me? They have lived in the same house since 1994; I was the one who moved – far away.

Perhaps it’s like that with God; perhaps we are the ones who distance ourselves from him, whenever we are selfish, whenever we ignore him and his way, whenever we make other things or other people more important to us than him? (One day we will face the consequences of our actions – and if we have distanced ourselves from him, he’ll give us what we want and distance himself from us. But until then we can always turn back.)

As for God listening vs ignoring our prayers – like any good parent God will always ignore a request for something that’s bad for us. And, the further we are away from God, the less we will know and ask for what’s best (i.e. what he wants!).

When we pray for good things but still feel ignored – I’m afraid the answer the Bible gives is to be persistent. Keep going. Don’t stop praying. Trust in God’s love and goodness and faithfulness, for they never change, yet are new every morning.

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:

Don & Jean Sands, Helen Slim, Gill Knight

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: Primary 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.