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:

The people walking in darkness
have seen a great light;
on those living in the land of deep darkness
a light has dawned.

Isaiah 9.2 (NIV)

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 19.27

There’s a wonderful line in The Simpsons when Marge is encouraging Homer to learn a new skill:

Marge: You could take an adult education course.
Homer: Oh, and how is ‘education’ supposed to make me feel smarter? Besides, every time I learn something new it pushes some old stuff out of my brain. Remember when I took that home wine-making course and I forgot how to drive?
Marge: That’s because you were drunk!
Homer: And how…

Next week we will be taking a break from Proverbs and focusing on the Christmas story for a few days. So this seems an appropriate verse to end on.

Above all, Solomon wants us always to be listening to and learning from wisdom. Why? Not only so we can learn new things, but because as soon as we stop listening, we start straying from the things we’ve already learned.

It’s a bit like swimming in the sea while the tide is going out. If you do gentle strokes or tread water, you can stay in the same spot. If you swim harder you can move to a new place. But if you stop swimming, you’ll be swept out to sea.

As Christians we are constantly fighting against the current. Whether it is our culture or the world around us, which seek to distract and pull us away from God, or our own nature which is selfish and self-serving – if we stop moving, if we stop listening to wisdom we’ll be swept out to sea and lost.

Instead, Solomon encourages us to be people who are always receptive and listening to God – whether being reminded of things we have learned before (treading water) or learning new things (swimming closer to shore).

And as we listen, let’s not forget to give thanks to God that he speaks.

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:

Irene Davies, Alan & Joyce Page, Rita Harris

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: Local Councillors

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.