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 take up the cross and follow Jesus,
whatever the cost.

from Luke 14.27-28

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 17.3

Refiners use a really high heat to melt silver and gold. In that high heat, impurities are burned away, or float to the surface where they can be scraped off and discarded.

The refiner repeats this process time and again until they are left with pure metal – and they know they’re finished when they can see their reflection clearly in the metal, melted and smooth.

This is how God ‘tests’ (or ‘proves’ – that would be a better word to use in this context) the human heart. It isn’t an exam we have to pass, it is a purifying process – which can sometimes hurt. But God’s purpose is good: to see his face reflected in us.

And it is only God who can do this. We may be able to test and purify gold and silver, but we cannot test other people’s hearts, or purify our own; that is for God and God alone to do.

In the time of prayer, picture gold and silver being melted and purified by a patient and loving refiner – and, if you can, your own heart being softened, melted, purified by your loving heavenly Father.

If you know the words, perhaps sing Purify my heart… ‘Purify my heart, let me be as gold and precious silver…’.

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:

Kath Hastilow, Michael Ackroyd, Pauline Sawle

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: Marriages & Family Life

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.