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:

By his power God raised Jesus from the dead,
and he will raise us also.

1 Corinthians 6.14 (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.

Proverbs 22.4

It’s been a while but remember the little phrase we’ve been using to help us understand a number of the Proverbs? This is how things should be, and one day will be. The world is disordered and twisted and damaged by sin, so what it spits out at us is not always what we deserve.

But that doesn’t mean we should give up and stop trying. It’s hard to keep going, but we could summarise the life of the Christian as ‘keep on keeping on’ – and one day we will receive the reward, the crown that God has in store for us:

Not that I have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me… I press on towards the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenwards in Christ Jesus.

Philippians 3.12 & 14 (NIV)

Jesus himself says it in the letter to the church in Smyrna:

Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you life as your victor’s crown.

Revelation 2.10 (NIV)

Trusting God has many different dimensions, but one of them is this: trusting that one day the struggle will be over, and we will truly receive long life (with Jesus forever!), honour (knowing God, even as we are known), and riches beyond compare (being in God’s very presence).

Today, how are you struggling, and where do you need extra humility?

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:

Hazel Lawson, Olive Carter, Julia Pinner

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: Overseas Mission Partners

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.