Our church building may be closed, but God’s eyes are open and his ears are attentive to our prayers (2 Chronicles 7.15).

If you would like to receive these by email, please click here.

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 20.5

Sometimes the Church of England gets lost in introspection, in looking inwards, assessing itself, navel gazing. It’s a temptation for any organisation to lose sight of what it’s supposed to be doing, and care more about itself.

However, that does not mean that all introspection is bad, or that we should always ‘just get on with it’. Frustrating though it can be for those of us who are activists – we like to have and finish tasks and jobs – actually there is more to life than ‘getting things done’.

One of the character attributes and skills that the Church of England looks for in leadership (of any kind, not just vicars) is self-awareness. That is the ability to learn about and understand ourselves. As Solomon points out here: that’s not easy. It is hard to draw water out of a deep well. You need time and patience, not to mention a long rope!

This is perhaps most obvious (and dangerous) when it comes to how we react to things, especially in anger – whether we yell or go moody and silent. Usually the flashpoint isn’t the cause; there is other pain, other hurt, other negative emotion, that we have ignored and squashed down and repressed deep down in the well, often over many years.

Sometimes it’s important to do that, or we wouldn’t function. But to live like that is not good. It takes real wisdom and courage to start to lower the bucket down there – especially if you have years of the stuff lurking and hiding away.

This is something to do with a trusted friend, mentor, counsellor – and most of all, in prayer with God. If you would like to chat about this, or would like some help finding someone appropriate to talk to – I’m here to help!

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:

Archbishops Justin and Stephen

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: Malawi & Bolivia Links

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.