Sing to the Lord, and praise him! Proclaim every day the good news that he has saved us (Psalm 96.2, GNB).
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Opening
Speak these words out loud:
Blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord,
whose confidence is in him.
Jeremiah 17.7 (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.
The righteous lead blameless lives; blessed are their children after them. (NIV)
Children are fortunate if they have a father who is honest and does what is right. (GNB)
Proverbs 20.7
Blessed indeed are the children of perfect parents!
I’ve written before about parent guilt. If you’re a parent you’ll know it well, I’m sure: the constant sense of not being enough, of making the same mistakes you think your parents made when they raised you… What is ‘success’ as a parent? I’m not sure anyone really knows. I’ve seen children of ‘good’ parents grow up to be pretty awful, and children of ‘bad’ parents grow up to be delightful. So there is still hope for your kids!
But in general I suspect ‘success’ can be summed up as ‘setting a good example’. Whether or not you are a parent, this is one of the best things we can do, both for children and one another. (And, notice I used the word ‘good’ not ‘perfect’.) We humans are simple creatures, and learn best from what we see; if we see a bad example, it’s hard to avoid copying it – if we see a good example, something of that rubs off on us.
Solomon knows this – which is why such children are blessed. I think here he is exaggerating to make the point: of course no parent is perfect, but the way we are, and the example we set, are important.
Perhaps a way of thinking about this is: can you be the people you’d like your children to grow up to be? Or, in the church context: can you be the person you’d like everyone else in the church family to be?
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:
Ben & Jess Green, Lesley Willers, Wendy Ruff
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 Health, Police & Fire Services
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.