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.

An inheritance claimed too soon will not be blessed at the end. (NIV)

The more easily you get your wealth, the less good it will do you. (GNB)

Proverbs 20.21

For most of us under 40, the best chance we have of ever owning a house is to inherit a big chunk of money (or an actual house). Given the way house prices rise and rise, it feels like the sooner the inheritance comes, the better! (Don’t get me wrong – we are extremely grateful that we are able to live in a vicarage – until I retire anyway.)

I have read stories of people who win the Lottery, and their lives fall apart. There are always exceptions of course, but it doesn’t seem like easy wealth really leads to an easy life. Some Lottery winners go to extreme lengths to hide their identity so they don’t get begging letters from charities – as a vicar, I get loads of those, I can’t imagine how many a Lottery winner must get. Some of them even hide their win from their own families.

And yet how much we all long for shortcuts! Whether it’s in our finances, in life, in our faith, so often we prefer the quick fix over the long, hard, slog. If someone offered you £100m so you’d never have to work again, would you take it? Probably – but would it be worth it? That, I’m not so sure.

The truth is, a) God made us for work, to have a pattern of hard work and good rest, and b) a good and godly character is forged in the heat of life’s ups and downs, not found in a book (or a Lottery ticket). And, as Solomon says, a wise and godly character is worth more than jewels (3.15, 31.10, etc).

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:

Taylor Family (Alex, Chris, Holly, John, Ruby)

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: Place of Welcome

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.