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 16.16

In 1 Kings 3 God appears to Solomon in a dream and said, ‘Ask for whatever you want me to give you’ (3.5). Solomon replies:

‘Your servant is here among the people you have chosen, a great people, too numerous to count or number. So give your servant a discerning heart to govern your people and to distinguish between right and wrong. For who is able to govern this great people of yours?’

1 Kings 3.7-8 (NIV)

I wonder – what would you have said in Solomon’s place? ‘Lord, I want a Ferrari, a massive house, financial security, my own plane to take me on holiday wherever I want, to give all my family financial security – oh, and maybe a bit left over for this charity or that church.’

Maybe you are all much more holy than me, but I’m not sure my first thought would be to ask as Solomon did – though I hope I would end up there after my second (third, or fourth!) thought…!

The point is, the way we live is more important than what we have. When I arrived I preached through Philippians, and the series was called ‘Finding Joy in the Journey’. The destination is up to God; the journey is where we live. Our daily lives, our decisions, they matter to God – and he wants us to value wisdom above wealth, knowledge above possessions.

Why? Because that is how we find true fulfilment, contentment, happiness, and joy – and that’s what God wants for us.

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:

Ray & Jane Skarratt, Carol Chadwick

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: People moving in to 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.