Sing to the Lord, and praise him! Proclaim every day the good news that he has saved us (Psalm 96.2, GNB).
This is the 400th (!) of these Daily Prayer emails, and my last. Thank you for journeying with me through so many important (and sometimes difficult) lessons in what it means to see the world as God sees it, and live the way he calls his people to live.
During July there will be a pause; if you would like these to continue after that, please contact the church office.
Opening
Speak these words out loud:
Let us not become weary in doing good,
for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.
Galatians 6.9 (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.
Blessed are those who find wisdom,
those who gain understanding,
for she is more profitable than silver
and yields better returns than gold.
She is more precious than rubies;
nothing you desire can compare with her. (NIV)
Happy is anyone who becomes wise—who comes to have understanding. There is more profit in it than there is in silver; it is worth more to you than gold. Wisdom is more valuable than jewels; nothing you could want can compare with it. (GNB)
Proverbs 3.13-15
In this long series on Proverbs, we have been learning every day about wisdom and what it means to be wise. So I hope you agree with the statements in these verses!
Those who find wisdom and understanding are blessed. This word means more than ‘happy’, it conveys a sense of growth, of making progress, of heading in the right direction.
How do we find it? We find it by listening. Proverbs 1.5: ‘let the wise listen.’ Proverbs 1.8: ‘listen, my son, to your father’s instruction.’ This listening is far more than hearing, but taking in, responding to, changing as a result of what God is teaching us.
Wisdom – in this section personified as a woman – is profitable. Wisdom is good for you, it is worth having! If you learn to be wise, you will make better decisions, and learn to follow God’s ways, not your own.
And wisdom is precious: more precious than rubies, than anything you could desire. It is so precious because having it benefits not only ourselves, but those we know and love. Wisdom is a feast for many, a beautiful vista to be shared.
Friends, may we learn to listen to, savour, and live by God’s wisdom, every day and in every way.
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:
Archdeacon Jenny
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 of England Birmingham
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.