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 16.2

I’m as guilty of this as the next person: when I have options and decide to do (or not do) something, I think I’m right. Otherwise, I’d do something else! Sometimes I am, sometimes I’m not. I had a big decision to make this morning (not the morning you’re reading this on…!) about whether or not to report something to the police. I don’t know if I did the right thing, or not. (I guess by the time you read this, I might know!)

One of the problems is, when we make a decision, there are all sorts of things swirling around in our heads and in our hearts. Even doing something good can have a tinge of self-centredness to it… if other people see us doing it (hence Jesus tells us to give and pray in secret).

Instead of ploughing on regardless, assured and confident of our right-ness – perhaps we need to learn a little humility. The first step is to recognise that we might be wrong (shock, horror). The next is to ask the Holy Spirit to help us see and be aware of our true motives. The next is to confess those to the Father, and receive forgiveness. The next is to submit ourselves to God – who, as we saw yesterday, has ‘the last word’ anyway.

Which of your ‘ways’ do you need to put a stop to, right 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:

Robins Family (Daniel, Joanna, Rachel, Steve)

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: PCC & Standing Committee

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.