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:

‘Where your treasure is,
there your heart will be also.’

from Matthew 6.21 (Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount)

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 18.23

How do you feel about people who receive state benefits? I’ve heard all sorts – they’re lazy, it’s their own fault for making bad decisions, if they can afford alcohol / cigarettes / Sky they get too much, they should just get a job, they’re not really disabled / they aren’t ill enough not to work, they’re ‘benefit scum’, the list goes on. Some of them, I confess, I may have said myself on occasion.

It’s not easy to get right. Some people I’m sure do receive what they don’t deserve. Others deserve far more than they receive. As ever, I’d like to suggest that Jesus shows us the way forward.

First – to whom did he show compassion? As far as we know, everyone – everyone, that is, except the hypocrites: those who condemned others while hiding their own sin.

Second – he answered this very question when he told the crowds to ‘love their neighbour’. Some smart Alec piped up, ‘Ah yes, but who is my neighbour?’ Jesus’ answer was the parable of the Good Samaritan: our ‘neighbour’ is anyone in need. Even our enemies. Even people who don’t deserve it.

So, how should we treat ‘the poor’? How should we speak about them?

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:

Mary Wilson, Cynthia Taylor, Dot Betts

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: Pre-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.