Come, Lord Jesus!
Rev 22:20

Season of hope
Of waiting
Of anticipation
To welcome
Jesus our Saviour
To prepare for the celebration
Of Jesus come to earth
Of God with us
The promise, the hope
of life, of everlasting love

Gracious God, once again Advent and the preparations for Christmas are with us. If we are in a season of waiting, or anticipation, help us to trust in your timing and take comfort from the presence, the hope and promises of Jesus, God with us.

May we prepare our hearts and minds to look afresh at the Christmas story and, whatever the season in our lives, know in our hearts the love God has for each and everyone of us. Come, Lord Jesus. Amen.

“Let us hold firmly to the hope we profess, for He who promises is faithful.”  Hebrews 10:23

Ruth Rushworth

King of kings and Lord of lords
Rev 19:16

We reflect on some words from Psalm 46 –

God is our refuge and strength an ever present help in trouble. Therefore,  we will not fear … even though …. even if …..

There is a place where God resides, where the love of God flows, God is here, God, our fortress, is with us. We will not fall. Come and see …..

God says be still, be still and know that I am God.
Be still ….. be still and know ….. be still and know that I am I God ….

Gracious God, we will trust in You, we will trust in your goodness and love. Even when life doesn’t make sense,  Even though we don’t understand. We will choose trust in your goodness and love.

Jesus said ” peace I give to you, my own peace I leave with you, a peace the world cannot give, this is my gift to you.  So do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.”

Christ our King, our refuge, our strength, our fortress be with us.

Gracious God, as we prepare for the start of Advent next week and the church is ready for the first Christmas trees to arrive to go up this afternoon, we remember that Jesus, King of kings, King of love, came to be with us to help us and rescue us. Draw us close to You and fill us with your love. Amen.

Ruth Rushworth

Extracts from Psalm 46, John 14

The Lord is my shepherd; I have everything I need.  He lets me rest in fields of green grass and leads me to quiet pools of fresh water.

Ps 23 1-2 GNT

Loving God, we praise you. Out of love, you created the galaxies, the sun, moon and stars, and the very air that we breathe.  Out of love, you created us to know you and to love you. You care for each one of us, through all the seasons of our lives, as a shepherd lovingly and tenderly cares for his flock.

Loving God, thank you that you know each of us by name. You shepherd us to the fresh pastures of new life in Jesus. You call us to graze on your words of truth, love and wisdom in the Bible. You ask us to follow you and place our trust firmly in you, for You are goodness and love.  You tell us not to worry about tomorrow, for you will meet our deepest need. Nothing in all of creation can separate us from your love.

Loving God, our Provider, our Shepherd, our Saviour, we simply come and sit with you, may we hear your voice and know your rest, peace and refreshment through your love in Jesus.

Ruth Rushworth

‘The Lord is near to all who call on him’.
Ps 145:18 NIV

Open my eyes to see You
Unblock my ears to hear You
Strengthen my voice to speak of You
Prepare my hands to work for You
Equip my feet to walk with You
Soften my heart to love as You
Renew my mind to think of You

Gracious God, may the power of your love transform our lives. May we walk through this day in faith and trust in Jesus. And may your Holy Spirit lead us in your ways and will, that we may draw close to you and share your love in our world. Amen

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

Let all that I am praise the Lord; with my whole heart I will praise his holy name.

Ps 103:1 NLT

I praise the Lord for his wonderful love
A love that lasts beyond a lifetime
A gift from heaven above
A love that embraces, forgives and sets free,
A love full of mercy that ends enmity.

A love that restores, renews and transforms, 
A love that strengthens, softens and warms. 
A love that reveals God’s plans for our lives,
A love that leads, a love that guides.
A love that unites and draws us near,
A love that extinguishes darkness and fear.

A love that is merciful, gracious and kind,
A love that will never turn us away, nor leave us behind.
A love of compassion to aid and care for,
The poor, the sick, the downhearted and sorrowful.

A love of justice, of truth and right,
To work for good with all of our might.
A love that promises hope, joy and peace,
And the assurance of eternal life through Our Lord, Christ Jesus. 

Loving God, we praise You for wonderful love in Jesus.  As we spend time with You and reflect, we ask You to speak into our hearts by your Spirit. Amen

Ruth Rushworth

(Jesus said).. I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, to be with you forever.

John 14:16 ESV

Loving God,  thank you that you give us the gift of your Holy Spirit, our Helper and Comforter who will remain with us for ever:-

The Spirit who will remind us of everything Jesus said, taught and did.  The Spirit who will teach us and show us things beyond our human understanding.  The Spirit who will reveal the heart and mind and ways of God.  The Spirit who will enable us and lead us in ways of righteousness and peace.  The Spirit who will pray with us in our weakness, in a way that cannot be put into words.  The Spirit who will arm us with strength and confidence in the midst of doubt and fear.  The Spirit who will clothe us with compassion, kindness and humility.  The Spirit who will live out the Christian life with us and within us.  The Spirit who will breathe new life into us and fill us with joy and peace in knowing Jesus.

The Spirit who will convict us of the truth, who will gently remind us – …Jesus gave his life for you; …. you are wholly and dearly loved. *

Gracious God, we praise you for your life-giving Holy Spirit who is with us and helps us to navigate this often difficult life.  We thank you that your Spirit will never coerce us or over-ride our free will.  As we reflect, may we open our hearts to invite and welcome your Holy Spirit more fully into our lives, for Jesus sake. Amen.

Ruth Rushworth
*  1 John 3:16;  1 Col 3:12

The Lord bless you and keep you; 
the Lord make his face shine on you
and be gracious to you;
the Lord turn his face towards you
and give you peace.

Numbers 6: 24-26 NIV

Lord God, we praise you for the many and beautiful prayers in the bible. Prayers that point us to you and to Jesus, assuring us of your eternal love, your goodness, your peace and your mercy.

Lord God, we take a few moments, to be still before you, to read the verse, look at the image and consider how you might speak to us through them.  

In the quiet, we pray for all seeking your peace.  We lift before you, our loving God, anyone or any situation that you have placed on our heart and ask for your blessing…..

Lord God, may your love sustain all in need of your touch. May you hold us fast in the palm of your hand. May the light of Jesus outshine the darkness and draw us close. And may we in turn pass on the blessings we have received from you and show your love, kindness and care in our world. Amen.

Ruth Rushworth

I will say to the Lord “My refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.”

Ps 91:2 ESV

Jesus is Lord 
Jesus is King;
Our strength
Our rock 
Our dwelling place
Jesus, your praises we sing.

Jesus is steadfast
Jesus is sure;
Our truth
Our way 
Our fulness of life
Jesus, your name we adore.
Jesus is love
Jesus is meek;
Our source
Our spring
Our ever-present help
Jesus, your mercy we seek.

Jesus is listening
Jesus is here;
Our friend
Our peace
Our burden-bearer
Jesus, your love calms our fear.

Gracious God, we take a moment to thank you for your love and care shown to us in Jesus. Whatever is on our minds, our concerns for the day, our work, home, school, health, family, friends, community or our world, we lay them at your feet. We thank you that we can draw on your love, your strength and your guidance in any situation.

Ruth Rushworth

I will praise You, Lord, with all my heart; I will tell of the wonderful things You have done. 

Ps 9:1 GNT

You are my God
And I will praise you, 
I thank you 
For mountains 
And valleys,
For birds, trees 
And flowers,
For sunshine
And showers.

You are my God 
And I will praise you,
I thank you 
For goodness 
And kindness,
For life 
In all fullness,
For forgiveness 
And gentleness,
For hope, peace
And promise.

You are my God 
And I will praise You,
I thank you 
For the shoes 
On our feet,
For the food 
That we eat,
For the clothes 
On our back,
For the shelter 
We have.

You are my God 
And I will praise You,
I thank you 
For each 
Brand new day,
For work
Rest and play,
For family 
And friends,
For love
That never ends…

Gracious God, thank You that you are a God of love and goodness; everything we have comes from You.  Thank You for the beauty of your creation all around us.  Thank you for the love that surrounds us and for your blessings today and every day.

Loving God, as we reflect on your blessings may we go out today with loving and thankful hearts.  May our lives reflect the generosity and kindness of the love of Jesus.

Image: courtesy of Rachael Towersey

Ruth Rushworth