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.
Wine is a mocker and beer a brawler; whoever is led astray by them is not wise. (NIV)
Drinking too much makes you loud and foolish. It’s stupid to get drunk. (GNB)
Proverbs 20.1
Research by the University of Glasgow in September showed that people drinking six or more drinks in one sitting at least once per week increased significantly during the first lockdown – from 10.8% to 16.2%. The Royal College of Psychiatrists found that the number of people drinking at dangerous levels almost doubled from February to June.
At particular risk are those in the 50+ age group. An Opinion Matters survey found that 51% of over 50s may be consuming alcohol at dangerous levels; more than 4 million of them have four drinks or more in a single sitting at least once per week (believe it or not, this is binge drinking – six units in one sitting for women, eight units for men).
Whether you get drunk and loud, doing foolish things – or whether you drink at home (as most people do now, especially during lockdown), excess drinking is extremely bad for your health in the long run. As with so many things there is a delay in the effect – meaning it is easy to ignore.
I wonder how many of us who need to, will heed Solomon’s warning in this Proverb?
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:
Rosemary Baxter, Allan & Anne Baldwin
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: Couples Getting Married
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.