Image: MP McKellar – used with permission

Trust in the Lord with all of your heart and lean not on your own understanding.
Proverbs 3:5 NIV

Loving gracious God, we praise you for the wonder and beauty of your creation,  We praise you for your mighty power and strength, we praise you for great compassion and mercy, we praise you for your protection, we praise you for your bountiful provision. We praise you for your love in Jesus our Saviour and the life and promises that become ours as we believe and trust in him. We praise you for guidance of your Holy Spirit.  We join our voices with all creation in praise, almighty, loving and gracious God.

We thank you loving God, our helper and provider, that there is no difficulty, no problem, no situation that is too big for you to handle.  When we cannot see a solution, help us to lay aside our fears and anxieties and trust in your eternal perspective and loving purpose, that you will make a way. As we lift our hearts and voices to you in praise, may our confidence, security and peace be firmly placed in Jesus our Saviour.  Amen.

Ruth Rushworth

Your Word is a lamp to guide my feet and a light for my path.
Ps 119:105  NLT

Gracious God, we praise for your Word in the bible and for Jesus your living, true Word. Thank you that your Word is true and relevant and speaks to us today.
Help us to understand and apply your Word and your promises in our lives, that the words in our vocabulary may be filled with truth, love compassion and grace.
Once a word is spoken it cannot be unsaid. May your Holy Spirit help us us to choose our words wisely and well to bring light to others. May we know when to speak, when to be silent and when to simply pray.

Sometimes words come easy,
sometimes they are hard.
They speak of the deepest truths,
And matters of the heart

They bring life and fulness,
Or darkness and despair.
They bring hope and promise,
Or hurt and lack of care

So let us be so careful,
To think before we speak.
Or type a message, press send,
and see the word “receipt”

Holy spirit guide us,
Gently as a dove.
That the words we speak, send and share,
resound with truth and love.

Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, my rock and redeemer. (Ps 19:14 ESV)

Ruth Rushworth

May the God of peace equip you with everything good to do his will.
Hebrews 13:20-21 NIV

To you o Lord we lift our gaze.
To you o Lord we sing our praise.

You lead us gently forward,
Into your precious light,
To a place you have prepared for us,
For when the timing is perfect and right.
You bring us to a place,
Beyond our hopes and dreams,
A place of love and service,
Of peace, not of natural means.

You provide us with all we need,
blessings, gifts and skills,
Perfectly suited to each one of us,
To our hearts, our minds, our wills.
You equip us so completely,
With all that we require,
As we step out we need not fear,
For Jesus is our rock, our strength, our tower.

Whenever you may call us,
Wherever you may lead,
By your grace may we follow,
In thought and word and deed.

To you O Lord we lift our gaze.
To you o Lord we sing our praise.

Gracious God, we praise you for and reflect on your guidance and provision in our lives. We thank you that you have brought us safely to this new day.
May our lives be an open canvas for you to paint your words of love. May we be sensitive to and follow the nudging of your Holy Spirit in all things, big and small, that the love Jesus has for each of us be known and shared in our lives. Amen

Ruth Rushworth

“Come, follow me” Jesus said.
Matt 4:19 NIV
Loving God, we still and quieten our minds before you and thank you for your presence here with us. We praise you for Jesus and that you, loving God, invite us to follow him.
As we look at the picture, we imagine ourselves in this account in Matthew’s Gospel of Jesus calling his disciples. We consider what it meant to them to follow Jesus:-

As Jesus was walking beside the sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew.  They were casting a net into the lake for they were fishermen.  “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people.”  At once, they left their nets and followed him.
Matt 4: 18-20 NIV

We reflect – Jesus came to seek them out. He knew them by name, he called to them and they followed him.  As they stayed close to him, he taught them and lived out the life of the kingdom of God.  They saw him retreat to quiet places to pray, they saw him love and serve others in miraculous ways and be obedient to the will of God. And they followed him…

Loving, gracious God, we praise you for your love in Jesus; the love that seeks us out and draws us daily to you. We reflect too on Jesus’ calling on our lives to come just as we are and follow him….
May we follow wherever you lead, in love, trust and obedience, for Jesus sake.  Amen.

Ruth Rushworth

If I ride on the wings of the dawn if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me your right hand will hold me fast.

Ps 139: 9-10 NIV

Loving God, we praise you that, wherever we go, we can never travel beyond the reaches of your love, care and guidance; neither the highest mountain, nor the deepest ocean can separate us from your all-encompassing love in Christ Jesus.

Whatever our situation, whatever we have done, or however we feel, we are never in a place that is beyond the reaches of your redemptive love.

Merciful God, when we turn to you through Jesus, you are there, running to meet us, arms wide open to welcome us into your presence, with joy, love, mercy and forgiveness. (Luke 11)

And so, wherever we are, we come to you afresh this day. In the stillness of this moment, we praise you. Help us to share what is on our heart with you and listen to anything you may say to us. May we live this day to the full, trusting in your guiding presence with us and in the quiet confidence of being secure in your love, for Jesus sake. Amen.

Ruth Rushworth

Give thanks to the Lord for he is good. His love endures forever.

Psalm 136: 1 NIV

Gracious God,
as we look around,
Your love and blessings
are to be found,
In places near,
and places far –

In the light of the moon,
Or a shining star;
In the warmth of the sun,
Or the refreshing rain;
In fields of gold,
A harvest of grain.

In a timely word,
Or a thought,
Or a prayer.
In a message of hope,
Concern or care.

In the light of the eyes,
Or a shining smile;
In the warmth of a touch,
That lingers awhile;
In hands that help,
Or a heart full of love.

All perfumed with grace,
and seasoned with love;
An everlasting gift
from God, in heaven above.

Gracious God, we praise you, for your very nature is love itself. You love us with a love that is constant, faithful, pure and true.

We praise you for the wonder and beauty of your creation, sustained by your hand. We thank you for the love of family and friends, and the loving kindness of those you place around us. We thank you for every breath we take and the precious gift of life itself.

We take a moment to be still before you and thank you for your love and your blessings ….

As Jesus was seen in unexpected places and situations, help us to see and be thankful for your provision for us at all times; for you, gracious God are good and you are loving and you walk alongside us all of our days. As you bless us, show us how we may be a source of blessing to others, both near and far, in the name of Jesus.

Ruth Rushworth

Lord our God how majestic is your name in all the earth

Ps 8:9 NIV

Every morning lean your arm awhile
Upon the window sill of heaven
And gaze upon your God.
And with this vision in your heart
Turn strong to face the day.
Anon

Loving God, we take a moment to be still, to quieten our minds and linger in the coolness and calm of your presence.

Loving God, we raise our hearts and minds in prayer and praise to you. We praise you and thank you for our world, the work of your loving hand. We praise you that it reflects your majesty and power, your purity and clarity, your light and radiance, your peace and calm, your goodness and your infinite love for us. Help us Lord to care for it.

Loving God, sometimes, your voice gets lost among the clamour and demands of the day, the tasks, the deadlines, the expectations or the worries and cares of our lives. If today is a difficult day for us may we pray in the words of the psalmist “be strong, take heart and wait on the Lord.” (Ps 27:14)

As we sit with you today, may your transforming love draw us closer to you and may the features and clarity of your infinite love be reflected in our lives, for Jesus sake. Amen

Ruth Rushworth

The Lord is near to all who call on him…
Psalm 145:18 NIV

Gracious God, we look on this cross, fashioned from old church pews, seasoned with prayers and praise offered to you Lord over many years.

The wood is polished and smooth and the cross fits snugly in our hand; a reminder that you smooth our rough corners, you hold us closely in the palm of your hand and you will never let us go, never leave us nor forsake us.

As we imagine holding the cross, we think of the sacrifice Jesus made for us and his living presence with us each and every day. In times of difficulty, or when we cannot find words to pray, may it bring a measure of your peace, courage, comfort, and hope.

Gracious God, as we pray we look at this cross, and in our mind we place it in the hand of anyone we know in need of your loving care today. We lift them before you and ask for your blessing in the name of Jesus our Saviour. Amen.

Ruth Rushworth

The punishment that brought us peace was on him and by his wounds we are healed.
Isaiah 53:5 NIV

Gracious God, as we look at the picture of three crosses, we remember that two criminals were crucified alongside Jesus. One mocked Jesus, but the other turned to Him and asked to be remembered in His kingdom. Jesus answered him “Truly I tell you, this day you will be with me in paradise” (Luke:23:43).

Gracious God we praise and thank you that your word and your truth assure us that we are forgiven. May to know and embrace this truth in our heart and mind. Help us to extend to others the mercy and forgiveness we have in you, for Jesus sake. Amen.

Jesus, Lord, my God and King
Praise and worship to you I bring,
I am loved and held secure
In your arms for evermore.

Ruth Rushworth

LOVE IN ACTION James 1:17 NCV

Everything that’s good
comes from God alone.
Without His gifts and acts of love
we might become like stone.
But when we see and realise
good gifts and actions too
Come from a never changing God,
and not out of the blue,
Then we are challenged from within
to emulate His love,
To leave the shadows,
do good works and serve.
Unlike things created,
God will never alter.
He goes on giving perfect gifts.
His love will never falter.

Margaret Langdon 2020

For God so loved the world, that He gave his one and only son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

John 3:16 NIV

As we look at the empty cross, we sit quietly and reflect on Jesus. We reflect on the love that came down to earth from heaven, the love that stands in the centre of time and exchanged all of our sins for His righteousness, forgiveness and peace with God. Thank you merciful God that, believing in Jesus, we receive new and eternal life; life in all the fulness of God.

Touch my heart O God divine.
Touch my heart and make it shine
Clear and bright, with love sublime.
Touch my heart and may I be
Pure, whole and committed to thee.

Touch my heart with love divine,
Touch my heart and make it thine.
Touch my heart, may I thee adore
In love and praise for evermore.

Loving, merciful God, we praise you.

Amen.

Ruth Rushworth