Saturday 31st October
Hymn: No outsiders
Prayer:
Loving God, you made us for companionship with one another so that all may know that so-important sense of belonging , where all are heard and cared for. Yet we know, Lord, that human relationships so often fail and we let one another down, so that many find themselves alone, with no-one to turn to. How wonderful, then, that you offer us a ‘belonging’ that is so much greater and more dependable than any other; that you accept us with an unquestioning and unconditional love, assuring us that all are welcome and there are no outsiders in the family of your Kingdom. Lord, help us not to keep this to ourselves, but to be inclusive in our relationships and to offer to others the welcome we have found in you.
Amen
Liz Stuart
Friday 30th October
Hymn: Weep with me
Prayer:
Lord Jesus, we remember how you wept over the death of a dear friend, and as Coronavirus spreads and we hear of the tragic deaths of those seeking a better life in our country, we know that you are weeping with all those who are grieving the loss of loved ones. Comfort them in their sorrow, Lord, and embrace them, and all who are anxious or fearful, with your love and compassion. Bring the light of your presence into dark places of despair, and hope into the lives of those for whom the future looks bleak, for in you we put our trust.
Amen
Liz Stuart
Thursday 29th October
Hymn: Healing is in your hands
Prayer:
It’s beyond all reason, Lord, beyond our imagination and understanding as we try to grasp the immensity of your love. All we know is that you offer it to us freely, pouring it into our hearts through your Holy Spirit, not because we deserve it or have done anything to merit it, but out of your sheer goodness and grace. And when your love touches the broken places in our lives, Lord, places of sadness, of unforgiveness, of shame, somehow we find ourselves made whole, healed by your mercy, enfolded in your compassion.
Amen
Liz Stuart
Wednesday 28th October
Hymn: Almighty God (SofF 2064)
Prayer:
All you have made, Lord God, speaks of your beauty, your goodness and your imagination, and if that voice is sometimes silent, it is no less powerful in moving and inspiring us to praise and worship you! We wonder at the unerring pattern of the seasons, of ocean tides, of day and night, all of it reminding us of your wisdom and faithfulness. So may we who have voices not keep silent, but never cease to offer you our thanksgiving, and in all we say and do strive to live to your glory.
Amen
Liz Stuart
Tuesday 27th October
Hymn: To be in your presence (StF 530/SofF 1067/MP 951)
Prayer:
Lord Jesus, the world can often be such a busy and noisy place, and so we need to find that quiet place in your presence, where words are unnecessary and we can come as we are. For it’s in the stillness, Lord, as we revel in your love and drink in your peace, that we find our worries, our hurts and our fears being soothed and healed. And as we are made whole we find the strength and the courage to face the world again. Help us, Lord, in the rush and tumble of daily life, not to neglect these times spent with you.
Amen
Liz Stuart
Monday 26th October
Hymn: I will stand on the promises
Prayer:
Lord God, your promises never fail us, they are firm and secure. And we know we can rely on them because not only have you shown yourself to be faithful in the past, through your Word and in Jesus, but we have experienced this for ourselves, in our own lives. Thank you that through our faith in you we have a sure foundation and we can be at peace, knowing that nothing we have to face, both now and in the future, will ever separate us from your presence and your love.
Amen
Liz Stuart
Sunday 25th October
Hymn: O worship the King (StF 113/H&P 28)
Prayer:
Lord God, as we try to find ways of describing you, your holiness, your power, your mercy and your love, we realise both how great and glorious you are, and how frail and unworthy we ourselves are. And yet, Lord, in your tenderness and compassion you accept us as we are, and through your Holy Spirit you seek to love us into the people you know we can be. May we be open to all the changes you want to make in us, so that we may grow more like Jesus, and show your Kingship in our lives.
Amen
Liz Stuart
Saturday 24th October
Hymn: Mercies
Prayer:
Lord God, you never let us down, and you never let us go. Countless times we have strayed away from you, choosing our own path, following our own desires, but when in our brokenness we have turned back to you, in your great love and mercy you have been there, ready to forgive, waiting with open arms, longing to welcome us home. Thank you, Lord, for your faithfulness and for never giving up on us. Help us to stay close to you, for only then do our lives have meaning and purpose. Only with you can we find hope and peace.
Amen
Liz Stuart
Friday 23rd October
Hymn: The Spirit lives to set us free (StF 397/SofF 1555/ MP 664)
Prayer:
As we lose some more of our freedoms, and more businesses are forced into lockdown, we are so grateful, Lord, for the new life and freedom we have in you, through your Holy Spirit. For though we have to cope with physical and social restrictions, nothing can limit you, because there are no boundaries to your love or to the comfort of your presence with us at all times, freeing us from fear and enfolding us in your peace. So keep us strong in our faith, Lord, for we put our hope and trust in you.
Amen
Liz Stuart
Thursday 22nd October
Hymn: Filled with compassion (SofF 716/ MP 828)
Prayer:
Loving God, these are difficult and challenging times for everyone to be living through, but how much harder for those do not know Jesus Christ as their Lord and Saviour, or your Holy Spirit living in their hearts. So move us, Lord, to reach out to those who have no firm foundation for their lives, who have no-one to turn to in times of confusion, fear or distress. Fill us with compassion, Lord, with hearts on fire for you, that we may share with others the love, the peace, the hope and the joy that we have found in you.
Amen
Liz Stuart
Wednesday 21st October
Hymn: The Father’s Song (SofF 1321)
Prayer:
How is it, Lord God, that we feel so safe and secure in your presence, and so unsettled and empty in those times when we have tried to leave you out of our lives, and ignored the voice of your Holy Spirit? It can only be that there is this deep down instinct that connects us with you as our Father, the One who loves us so completely that our names are written on your heart. So help us to sing our song of love back to you, Lord, in praise and worship and thanksgiving!
Amen
Liz Stuart
Tuesday 20th October
Hymn: One thing remains (Your love never fails)
Prayer:
Lord God, your love is truly amazing! We see evidence of it in the beauty of your Creation; we see it lived out in Jesus, in self-giving and sacrifice; we experience your love through your Holy Spirit – it is everywhere, surrounding us and in us. And when all else fails us, Lord, when systems around us seem to be falling apart, when anxiety stifles our hope, this one thing remains certain and secure and never changing. Your love! Thank you, Lord.
Amen
Liz Stuart
Monday 19th October
Hymn: Never let go of your hand
Prayer:
The world can be a hard place, Lord. Fear and failure can drag us down, dealing a blow to our confidence and our sense of self-worth, so that sometimes we even find it difficult to approach you. Yet you constantly reassure us, Lord, that you are here for us, that you love us just as we are, and that, though we may feel we have drifted away from you, you never let go of us. Thank you for the security we find in that promise, and help us day by day to put our trust more firmly in you.
Amen
Liz Stuart
Sunday 18th October
Hymn: Be still and know that I am God (StF 18/SofF 41/MP48)
Prayer:
With the constant clamour of the world ringing in our ears, we pause today and remember that you are God. With the turmoil of our own thoughts racing round our minds, we pause today and remember that you bid us ‘be still’. With uncertainty about the future clouding our vision, we pause today and remember you are ‘I am’, the same ‘yesterday, today and for ever’. For you are in control, Lord, and your will and your purposes are eternal and unchanging. And in that assurance, and trusting in your promises, we find healing, hope and rest.
Amen
Liz Stuart
Saturday 17th October
Hymn: When God has another plan
Prayer:
There are so many things we don’t understand, Lord. The changes that happen in our lives, the way doors unexpectedly close on the hopes and dreams we had, the challenges we have to face, physically, emotionally and sometimes spiritually. But what we do know is that you are a God who loves us passionately and unconditionally, and that your plans are tailor-made for each one of us, always for the best, and always to draw us closer to you. And so, because we cannot see our lives from your perspective, we put our trust in your infinite wisdom and unfailing goodness, for in this we find comfort and strength and security.
Amen
Liz Stuart
Friday 16th October
Hymn: I will sing
Prayer:
Lord God, we just can’t get a handle on what is going on in the world, even in the little part of it that we occupy! We see lockdown increasing in so many parts of the country, businesses forced to close, countless jobs lost and people suffering hardship. The problems are too big, the anxiety overwhelming, the future bleak, and sometimes we simply don’t know how to pray or where to start. And yet, Lord, in our hearts we know that you’ve not left us to cope on our own, and though everything around us seems out of control, your word, your truth and your love still remain secure and unchanging. And because of this we can still lift our voices in praise, for you are our faithful God, now and always, and we put our trust in you.
Amen
Liz Stuart
Thursday 15th October
Hymn: Jesus, all for Jesus (StF 555/SofF 1376)
Prayer:
Lord Jesus, it’s when we surrender everything and every part of our lives to you that we discover a new sense of freedom and joy. No longer are we haunted by past failures, no longer are we anxious and fearful about what the future may bring; no longer are we trapped in the cycle of struggle and stress of everyday life, sometimes feeling we are ploughing a lone furrow. For you have it all in hand, Lord, and trusting in your love and in the power of your Holy Spirit we are given all the strength and the resources we need.
Liz Stuart
Wednesday 14th October
Hymn: No-one like our God
Prayer:
Almighty and ever-living God, when we try to imagine all that you are we are filled with awe and wonder, and there are no words to describe you. You are unique in every way – in holiness, in power, in creativity, in presence through your Holy Spirit, but especially in love. For when we least deserve it, when we fail and let you down, even when we deliberately go our own way, you, amazingly, still reach out to us, never giving up on us, never forgetting us. And best of all, you remind us that nothing can separate us from your love, for your love is eternal and never-ending, defying even the power of evil and death. There is, indeed, no-one like our God!
Amen
Liz Stuart
Tuesday 13th October
Hymn: Be not afraid
Prayer:
Lord Jesus, it is so good to know that you are always with us, but even more wonderful to realise that you have gone, and still go before us. That there is no situation we face, no experience we encounter, be it sorrow, hardship, danger, even death itself, that you have not entered into, where you have not first prepared the way. So give us the confidence we need, Jesus, to take those faltering steps into the future, in the assurance that when we follow you there is nothing we need fear, for all is known to you and we are safe in your care, our living, loving Lord.
Amen
Liz Stuart
Monday 12th October
Hymn: Trust
Prayer:
Almighty God, we praise and thank you for your faithfulness, for promises that are sure and reliable, and for the confidence that you are with us in every season and situation of our lives. In this broken and pandemic-ridden world, where it’s hard to know who or what to believe, and where even guidelines are blurred, it is our faith and trust in you that gives us hope – hope that truth and beauty and goodness will overcome the darkness and fear that sometimes threatens to overwhelm us. Indeed, a certain hope that, in the end, the light of your love will prevail.
Amen
Liz Stuart
Sunday 11th October
Hymn: All my hope on God is founded (StF 455/H&P 63)
Prayer:
If ever we needed a solid foundation for our lives, Lord God, it is surely now. Many of those things that we had thought were stable and secure, that we have relied on, have proved to be fragile and fallible, and we are left floundering in a sea of uncertainty. But you, Lord, are always there, always faithful, always dependable, the rock beneath our feet, the anchor in our lives. And however long it takes, we know you will bring us through.
Amen
Liz Stuart
Saturday 10th October
Hymn: Guardian
Prayer:
What an amazing God you are! We so easily stray away from you, letting other things take your place, following our own desires, seeking out our own path, but you never desert us, you are always there, right by our side, whether we realise it or not. Even more than this, through it all, Lord, your love continues to seek us out, guiding and guarding us, and bringing us back to where we can find real life, true fulfilment and lasting hope – by putting our trust in you!
Amen
Liz Stuart
Friday 9th October
Hymn: I’ve had questions (When the tears fall) (StF 632/SofF 1906)
Prayer:
There are so many questions, Lord; questions about suffering, about loss, about the future and when this pandemic will end. We look for solutions, we listen to politicians, we hope for wisdom from science, we obey the rules. But somehow there are no satisfactory answers, nothing that will allay our anxieties, calm our fears, give us confidence – give us hope. Until we turn to you, Lord Jesus, and place everything in your hands, hands that still bear the scars of suffering. For then we discover afresh that yours is a peace that nothing can take away, yours is a hope that overcomes despair, and yours is a love that endures to the end. And in that we can rest.
Amen
Liz Stuart
Thursday 8th October
Hymn: You never let go (SofF 1753)
Prayer:
Thank you, Lord Jesus, that you never let us go, and that because you lived an earthly life we know we can always trust you. You struggled with the things that challenge us, and because you overcame the power of evil and death, we have the assurance that, with the help of your Holy Spirit, this is possible for us too. Help us, for our part, to hold ever more firmly to you, relying on you to guide us and see us through the difficult and demanding times we face.
Amen
Liz Stuart
Wednesday 7th October
Hymn: Lord, I need you (SofF 2422)
Prayer:
It’s not only in times of crisis that we need you, Lord, though these are mostly when we cry out to you. We actually need you with us in all the circumstances of our lives, because it’s through this that we build up our relationship with you, we discover your faithfulness, and we grow deeper in our love and trust. So help us, Lord, to keep in touch with you day by day, for then we will be constantly aware of your presence and your guidance as a living reality.
Amen
Liz Stuart
Tuesday 6th October
Hymn: The river of God
Prayer:
In spite of all the challenges we have to meet day by day, Lord God, when we think about all you mean to us, and all you have done for us in Jesus Christ, we cannot help but dance for joy! For your love, your grace and your goodness are like a never-ending stream, pouring new life into us, sustaining us, nourishing us and giving us the energy to keep going and to keep hoping, knowing that, through your Holy Spirit, you are carrying us along, over the rocks and rapids into the still waters of your peace. Thank you, Lord!
Amen
Liz Stuart
Monday 5th October
Hymn for Monday, 5th October: Shine on us
Prayer:
Ever-present God, as we enter into a new week we ask your blessing on our lives. We do not know what challenges we may have to face in the coming days, but we can be sure that your light, your grace and your love, all of which we see in Jesus, will guide, uphold and strengthen us. And so we go forward with hope and with confidence, knowing that with you, and in the power of your Holy Spirit, all things are possible, and that nothing can separate us from your love.
Amen
Liz Stuart
Sunday 4th October
Hymn: In the beginning (Breath of God) StF 386/SofF 2363
Prayer:
Lord God, after so many months of lockdown we so need the refreshing of your Holy Spirit! Like those dry bones in a desert place, we long for new life to be breathed into us, into our churches, into our communities, into our world. As we worship you today, Lord, fill us to the brim with your power and your presence, that our lives may overflow with your love and joy, to your praise and glory.
Amen!
Liz Stuart
Saturday 3rd October
Hymn: Rejoice, rejoice, Christ is in you (SofF 480/MP 572)
Prayer:
Lord Jesus, we have so much to praise and thank you for. Having you living within us, in your Holy Spirit, makes such a difference to our lives, to the way we view the world, and the way we see ourselves. For you give us hope, Lord – hope that sees possibilities rather than problems, that, through your grace and goodness, looks to a future bright with promise. All we need is to trust in your faithfulness, and your power to keep us strong in our inner selves, knowing that you love us more than we can ever grasp or imagine or put into words!
Amen
Liz Stuart
Friday 2nd October
Hymn: Everything (SofF 1790)
Prayer:
Lord God, you are present in every part of our lives, wherever we are, whatever we are doing, and however we are feeling. This has always been your plan, so that we may constantly be certain and aware of your guidance, your strength and, most of all, your unconditional love. And although we often think ourselves unworthy of your interest in us, Lord, and realise how little we deserve your love and care, there is great comfort in knowing that you are always there for us, and that therefore we have nothing to fear, and everything to hope for. And for this we are so thankful!
Amen
Liz Stuart
Thursday 1st October
Hymn: Precious Cornerstone (All to us) SofF 2505
Prayer:
In these challenging times, Lord, it’s sometimes hard to hang onto our faith, much less share it with others with the same enthusiasm we once did! We are so missing the companionship and encouragement we receive from meeting together – and yet, Lord, you have not changed, and you are still holding us, supporting us and strengthening us with your loving presence. So help us to focus on you, Jesus, and to find our inspiration in all you are to us and all you have done for us, and through this find our hope, our faith and passion revitalised.
Amen
Liz Stuart
