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:
Wait for the Lord;
be strong and take heart
and wait for the Lord.
Psalm 27.14 (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 wise store up choice food and olive oil, but fools gulp theirs down. (NIV)
Wise people live in wealth and luxury, but stupid people spend their money as fast as they get it. (GNB)
Proverbs 21.20
This is one area in which I struggle… if there are nice things in the house, I want to eat / drink them straight away… especially if it’s a box of posh chocolates, I want to eat half a dozen at once. Jess is much better at letting us have one a day instead, so we enjoy them for longer!
Have you heard of the Stanford Marshmallow Experiment? It studied ‘delayed gratification’ by offering participants one marshmallow (or pretzel) now, or two later. Follow-up studies showed that the ones who waited were more likely to be healthier in later life, have higher grades, and generally higher achievement. The effect was found to be as high as economic background. (At least, according to Wikipedia!)
It seems Solomon knew what he was talking about!
How wisely do you steward what you have? Are you a gulper or a savourer? During my curacy, my mentor asked me, ‘Ben, do you ever taste your food?’ He was right to ask; my attitude to food betrayed my impatience, and he wanted me to learn to slow down and savour what is now. Do you gulp? Or do you savour?
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:
Young Family (Blithe, Mo, Quincy, Richard)
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: Church Wardens (Carol & John)
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.