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 17.9

This is something I often talk about when I preach at weddings (I think.. it’s been so long now!). But it applies equally to friendship and other family relationships: bearing a grudge, remembering wrongs, will eventually break up a relationship.

Paul says this about love (in a chapter that is not about getting married, but about how Christian brothers and sisters should treat one another, the ‘more excellent way’ of love):

[Love] does not dishonour others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.

1 Corinthians 13.5 (NIV)

‘Love keeps no record of wrongs’. Do you? Can you list the countless mistakes and bad habits and flaws and issues your friend / mother / brother / spouse / significant other has? Friends, I hope not.

And even more than that, I hope you don’t go around mouthing off about those things to other people. That is not only disrespectful, it’s dangerous. It’s hard enough to love someone, without stoking the fires of resentment and bitterness and frustration. And it will only end in pain.

If this is making you uncomfortable, this verse is for you, today.

If you aren’t sure what you should and shouldn’t say – think how would your friend feel if they were listening to what you were saying about them. Would it encourage them? Or make them upset?

And if you need to let go of someone else’s flaws (remember you have just as many, even if you think you don’t) – God can help you with that. Why not ask him?

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:

Janet Wilson, Catriona Paton, Joyce Moore

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: Baptism Candidates & Families

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.