Daily Prayer & Hymn Suggestion
Thursday 27th March
Hymn: God of my faith, I offer you my doubt (StF 629)
Prayer:
Life isn’t always a ‘bed of roses’, Lord God. We all go through times of hardship and difficulty of one sort or another, times of pain and loss, and this is compounded by all that’s going on in the world, the conflict, the dreadful suffering people are enduring, the destruction, and sometimes, if we’re honest, this can make begin to doubt you, Lord. How can a loving God allow these things to happen to us and to those who have done nothing to deserve having their lives turned upside down? And then, Lord, we remember the Cross, and we realise that you do know and that you care – that you went through the grief of seeing your Son, Jesus, suffer and die, and all for our sake, for the forgiveness of our sin. Lord, increase our faith, and help us to face all things knowing that we are never alone, and that our and the world’s pain is always on your heart.
Amen
Liz Stuart
Wednesday 26th March
Hymn: Do not be afraid, for I have redeemed you (SofF 1213/MP 115)
Prayer:
Belonging is so important, and knowing that we belong to you, Lord God, gives us an assurance and a firm foundation on which we can build our lives. Just being certain that we can call on you at any time and you are there for us, and that you know us and recognise us not by a number or a password, as is so often the way we are described nowadays, but actually by our own name, which shows us how much we matter to you – as a signature on your heart. For you are not only interested in every detail of our lives but actually want to be part of our lives, sharing its ups and downs, the good and the bad and the in-between times. Lord, we thank you and put ourselves and our loved ones in your loving care today.
Amen
Liz Stuart
Tuesday 25th March
Hymn: Eye has not seen
Prayer:
Lord God, you are so much more than all we can know, or imagine or understand, and your plans for us are so much greater and more wonderful than we can visualise. And so, today, we come to you trusting that, in your love, you will guide us in all the ways you want us to go. That you will equip us for all the tasks that you lay before us, and that you will speak in us and through us in all the opportunities we may have to share our faith. Whatever today brings, in all the choices we have to make and all the challenges we will face, may we be certain of your presence with us, giving us the strength, the hope and the peace we need.
Amen
Liz Stuart
Monday 24th March
Hymn: My heart is filled with thankfulness (SofF 1972)
Prayer:
It’s a sign of politeness and probably among the first words we are taught to say, but the words ‘thank you’ are more than this. They remind us that we are dependent on the help of others, an acknowledgement of the way they have made life easier for us, perhaps made us feel better about ourselves or a situation, expressing our gratitude for their thoughtfulness, their kindness, their generosity or support. Which means, Lord, that we need to spend a lot of time, every moment of every day in fact, saying ‘thank you’ to you for all your goodness to us, for sustaining us, in Jesus for forgiving us, and through your Holy Spirit enabling us to walk every day in your presence, and in the fullness of life which is your gift to us. So today, may our ‘hearts be filled with thankfulness’ and let us share the joy of all we have received with those we meet.
Amen
Liz Stuart
Sunday 23rd March
Hymn: There’s a wideness in God’s mercy (StF 416/H&P 230/MP 683)
Prayer:
I guess we all have a tendency to be judgemental, Lord God – perhaps to be critical of others for the choices they have made, which have got them into difficulties or damaged their health. Maybe condemnatory of those who are wasteful of their resources and then rely on the welfare system to get them out of trouble – and so on. And yet we seldom look carefully at ourselves, at our actions and attitudes, and see where we are misusing our opportunities, or wasting the gifts you have given us, or are simply unloving in the way we treat those less fortunate than ourselves. But you, Lord, are always merciful and kind, generous in forgiveness and grace, slow to condemn and quick to reach out to all in love. Help us to be more like you, Lord, and to follow the example of Jesus who welcomed and made time for those whom society ignored.
Amen
Liz Stuart
Saturday 22nd March
Hymn: My hope is built on nothing less (MP 473)
Prayer:
‘Hope’ is one on those words that is bandied around in so many different ways and contexts, Lord, sometimes with little real expectation, because, when we think about it, our hope is so often based on things which are actually outside our control, and therefore is little more than wishful thinking! How very different this is to the hope we place in you, Lord, for that is a sure and certain hope, one that is based on your promises, and on all you have done for us in Jesus – a hope that will never disappoint us, a hope that will never let us down. Many people lack this hope, Lord, so let’s try today to live as hope-filled people, and look for opportunities to share the hope we have found with someone who needs lifting up.
Amen
Liz Stuart
Friday 21st March
Hymn: Morning has broken (StF 136/H&P 635/SofF 393/MP 467)
Prayer:
As we celebrate the ‘official’ beginning of Spring, we want to thank you, Lord God, for the sense of hope we experience as the trees and bushes come to life and begin to turn green, and our gardens and open spaces become bright with flowers. We so often take for granted this wonderful cycle of nature which speaks to us of your faithfulness and the reliability of your promises, and gives us that extra assurance we need that all of your creation, which includes each of us, is in your loving care. Help us, Lord, to take responsibility for the way we look after all you have so generously provided, and be mindful today of our carbon footprint in order that the beauty and the diversity of nature may be enjoyed by generations to come.
Amen
Liz Stuart
Thursday 20th March
Hymn: Come, let us worship the King of kings (SofF 1203)
Prayer:
Sometimes, Lord, the further we get into the week, the deeper we find ourselves immersed in the day to day stuff, trying to fit everything in and often running right up to deadlines, the more you can get squeezed out of our lives, with sometimes just a quick prayer when we need help and the occasional ‘thank you’ when something works out well! So today, Lord, we want to make space for you, and to spend time remembering just how great and wonderful you are – and how you love us so much that you always have time for us! You are the ‘King of kings’ and we acknowledge you as Lord of our lives, so help us also to make you Lord in our lives, your sovereignty over all we are and say and do – and perhaps this will help us to get the balance right, and offer you, and not just on Sundays, the praise and worship that is rightly yours!
Amen
Liz Stuart
Wednesday 19th March
Hymn: God forgave my sin in Jesus’ name (StF 424/SofF 129/MP 181)
Prayer:
Lord God, our faith in you is precious to us – it gives us the strength we need to live each day, helping us cope with difficulties and disappointments, and the hope that enables us to look to the future with optimism. But perhaps most of all, the joy and freedom of knowing that, because of Jesus, our sins are forgiven and there is nothing that can ever separate us from your love – all of this your free gift to us when we put our trust in you. Sometimes, Lord, we are tempted to hug this to ourselves – it is too personal, too close to our hearts, and we tend to shy away from making ourselves vulnerable to others. But deep down we know we cannot remain silent, that the Good News of Jesus is not something we can keep to ourselves, and so today, Lord, we ask that you will give us the courage and the words to share with others all we have so freely received.
Amen
Liz Stuart
Tuesday 18th March
Hymn: You are faithful
Prayer:
Lord God, as we begin this new day we lay before you all that this day holds – the activities, the people we will meet, the things on our ‘to do’ list, the plans we have made – but we know there will also be much for which we are not prepared. The surprise encounters, the unforeseen problems, the unexpected opportunities, some of which we will welcome, some which may challenge us or throw us off-guard. Lord, the whole of our lives are in your hands, and you know the plans you have for us, and these are always for our good. We thank you, Lord, for your faithfulness and your loving care, and your promise to be with us at all times and in all places. And so, whatever this day holds, we put our trust in you to carry us through.
Amen
Liz Stuart
Monday 17th March
Hymn: We’ll walk the land (SofF 583/MP 743)
Prayer:
Lord God, you have shown us your love and faithfulness in so many ways, in Creation, in Jesus and through your Holy Spirit at work in our lives, and through all this we have found a new freedom. A freedom that enables us not to give in or to be swayed by the values of the world, values, ways of living and being that actually imprison us, seeking to persuade us to conform to behaviours and beliefs that are not those of your kingdom. Rather, Lord, the freedom we find in you enables us to become the people you created us to be, and gives us the strength and the hope to live each day to the full, guided by your Holy Spirit. So, Lord, send us out today to those who are trapped in a way of life that gives them no joy, and use us to invite them to discover the freedom we have found in you.
Amen
Liz Stuart
Sunday 16th March
Hymn: Immortal, invisible, God only wise (StF 55/H&P 9/SofF 234/MP 327)
Prayer:
Lord God, we can only see things from our very limited human perspective, which means we often allow ourselves to be overcome with fear and anxiety over all that’s happening in the world, all that’s happening to the planet in terms of global warming, and it’s right that we have a concern, but often, it seems, we leave you out of the equation. We forget that the world is your creation, that you are still in control; that your wisdom, your authority and your power will in the end, in your good time, prevail, only temporarily held back by your allowing us to have freewill. As we worship you today, Lord, we ask for a bigger vision of all you are. Help us to put our trust in you more firmly for today and for the future, for our hope is in you and in your loving care.
Amen
Liz Stuart
Saturday 15th March
Hymn: A touching place (SofF 685)
Prayer:
Lord God, with all the tensions in the world at the moment, with all the talks going on at high level, the negotiations aimed at seeking peace in so many places, and all the suffering conflict causes, it’s easy to overlook the day to day suffering in the lives of ordinary people. The heartache of bereavement, the disappointment of unfulfilled dreams, the frustration of lost opportunities, the breakdown of relationships, the anxiety over trying to make ends meet, and so on. These are not issues which hit the headlines, Lord, but they are the experience of so many, of people we know, in communities of which we are a part. Lord, we may not be able to influence the larger issues, but help us and encourage us to show your love and care in all the small ways we can.
Amen
Liz Stuart
Friday 14th March
Hymn: Worthy in the Lamb (SofF 1528)
Prayer:
Lord Jesus, as we continue on our Lenten journey, walking with you on your way of the Cross, we wonder what was going on in your mind. It would only be human to be overcome by dread of what lay ahead, the suffering, the pain, the betrayal, the effect that this would have on your disciples. And yet you knew, Lord, that this was what you had come to do, that in fact ‘there was no other good enough’ to release us from the power of sin and death. But it was not only this kept you going, Lord Jesus, not even anticipating the glory of Easter Day. It was love – love that gave you the courage to face all that was coming, love for the world, love for us. Lord, whatever challenges we may be facing today, may we know that you are walking with us, surrounding us with your love and giving us the strength and the courage we need.
Amen
Liz Stuart
Thursday 13th March
Hymn: Captain of Israel’s host and guide
Prayer:
In this season of Lent, Lord God, we remember how the Israelites long ago spent time in the desert learning how to be your people, learning to trust you and to rely on your provision, learning how to live in obedience to your will. And sometimes, Lord, we find ourselves in those desert places too, dry times, times when we feel lost and alone, with our lives lacking direction and purpose, and often it is because we have let our trust in you drift away, neglected to spend time with you in prayer, distracted by all that’s going on around us, and forgetting to put you at the centre of our lives. Forgive us, Lord, and, in your great love, draw us back to you. Help us, through the guidance of your Holy Spirit, to use this Lenten period to reflect on ways we can better order our lives to build up our faith, with the assurance that you are always with us.
Amen
Liz Stuart
Wednesday 12th March
Hymn: No outsiders
Prayer:
There are no outsiders to your love, Lord God. If we ever had any doubt about this we only have to look at the ministry of Jesus and see how He reached out to the lonely and the lost, to those whom society rejected and regarded as outcasts, to those who had no voice and were treated as having little status or importance. And you still reach out, Lord, and through your Holy Spirit you empower us and call us to be your hands and heart, to show your love to people who have lost hope, to those who feel that life has passed them by, to those whom others look down on or ignore, to people who need to know they matter. Help us to see beneath the surface of those we meet today, and recognise the ‘outsiders’ you are longing to welcome into your kingdom.
Amen
Liz Stuart
Tuesday 11th March
Hymn: Be thou my vision, O Lord of my heart (StF 545/H&P 378/SofF 42/MP 51)
Prayer:
Lord God, in a world in turmoil we need to keep our hearts and minds focussed on you, on your word, on your truth, so that we are able to see more clearly how we should live, how we should respond, how we can stay strong in these difficult times. In Creation you brought order out of chaos and light out of darkness, and this surely is what is needed today, in the creation of peace and stability and hope – a world where people can live in harmony and without fear. Lord, while we feel powerless to make a difference on an international or sometimes even a national scale, help us to play our part in creating communities and neighbourhoods where peace and good relationships flourish, and where your love is made known in action.
Amen
Liz Stuart
Monday 10th March
Hymn: Rejoice, rejoice, Christ is in you (SofF 480/MP 572)
Prayer:
Lord Jesus, you commissioned your disciples to carry the message of the Gospel to the far corners of the earth, promising that you would always be with them, and now we, as your disciples today, are called to do the same. So often we lack the courage to do this, Lord, perhaps because we feel inadequate, that the task is too big for us, or that we lack the words or the wisdom to carry it out. But you know all that, Lord, and yet you still call us, promising that you will be with us too, and that through your Holy Spirit you will equip us with all we need to witness for you. And, surprisingly, when we put our trust in you, we discover that you are able to work powerfully in and through our weaknesses and, indeed, turn them into opportunities to reach out to others. So send us out today, Lord, with the good news of the love, the hope and the new life we have found in you. And through this discover the great joy that comes from serving you.
Amen
Liz Stuart
Sunday 9th March
Hymn: To God be the glory (StF 94/H&P 463/SofF 559/MP 708)
Prayer:
Lord God, in our worship today may we indeed give you glory! Glory because of all you have already done for us in Jesus, revealing your great love for us, giving us an example to follow and, through the forgiveness of our sins, offering us the promise of eternal life with you. But to you be glory also, Lord, because of your faithfulness to us, the assurance that you are always with us, and the guidance and strength we receive through your Holy Spirit living in us. For all these blessings, for so many more, and for your generosity and grace we praise and thank you Lord. May we show our love for you in our living today and by sharing it with those around us.
Amen
Liz Stuart
Saturday 8th March
Hymn: Be still
Prayer:
There are many things in our lives that can make us anxious and fearful, Lord, sometimes for ourselves or those close to us, maybe for our community or our country, but often it’s to do with the unknown, what might happen, the ‘what ifs’ and the ‘maybes’. We’re tempted to meet trouble half way, and that usually means that we lose our peace today! When we get ourselves into this sort of state, remind us, dear Lord, that you can take care of all our tomorrows, and simply ask us to put our trust in you. That you are God – that nothing escapes your attention and nothing is beyond your loving care or your control – and with this assurance you bid us be still, and to find our rest and security in you. Help us to do this today, Lord.
Amen
Liz Stuart
Friday 7th March
Hymn: When we are tested and wrestle alone (StF 240)
Prayer:
As we travel through life, Lord God, whatever age we are, there will be times when we face temptation in all its many forms, and we shouldn’t feel guilty about this, because, as a human being, we remember that Jesus was tempted too. That during that time in the wilderness, reflecting on His coming ministry, Jesus faced the temptation to take the easy way to gain attention and popularity, in fact ways in which we are often tested too. But Jesus chose instead to follow what He knew would be your will. Lord, when we face our times of testing, tempted to take short cuts instead of following the guidance of your word, grant us the guidance of your Holy Spirit so that we make the right choices and, through this, give glory to you.
Amen
Liz Stuart
Thursday 6th March
Hymn: Lead us, heavenly Father, lead us (StF 238/H&P 68/SofF 321/MP400)
Prayer:
It is a tempestuous world, Lord God, a world that seems bent on destruction. We see on our TV screens and hear in radio bulletins the sounds and sights of war, the loss of life, the devastation caused by bombing, the cries of those desperate for medical resources and basic human needs of food and shelter, of those searching beneath the rubble for loved ones, and we wonder how and when it will ever end. So we seek your guidance, Lord, for we do have no help but you, no-one else we can call on to bring sanity to those who hold positions of power, although we know in reality it is you who hold ultimate authority and control. But, Lord, we also seek your forgiveness for any small way we contribute to this mayhem by our selfishness and lack of love. In this time of Lent help us to examine ourselves, and seek to be peacemakers among those we live.
Amen
Liz Stuart
Wednesday 5th March
Hymn: Son of suffering
Prayer:
On this Ash Wednesday, as we set out with you, Lord Jesus, to walk the way of the Cross, we realise once again the lengths you were willing to go in order to restore us to a right relationship with God. It fills us with amazement, Lord, but it also fills us with humility, knowing that we are not worthy of the love that led to such suffering and so great a sacrifice – and yet without this we would never be free of the guilt of our sin, never really know the power of your Holy Spirit living within us, and never be able to receive the gift of eternal life. And so we ask that you would guide us through this Lenten period, helping us to understand its deeper meaning, and preparing us not only for the desolation of Good Friday but also for the joy of Easter Day.
Amen
Liz Stuart
Tuesday 4th March
Hymn: Jesus shall take the highest honour (StF 356/SofF 302/MP 378)
Prayer:
Lord God, in a world that is in so many ways divided, between those who have power and those who have no voice; between those who have freedom and those who live under repressive regimes; between those who have plenty and those who live in poverty; between those who have the basic human rights of home, security, healthcare and education and those who have little access to these, we pray for a real seeking after justice, fairness and equality for all people everywhere. But we recognise that this can only come about when your power and authority is acknowledged, when leaders of nations seek your will above greed and self-interest, and when Jesus is given the honour and praise due to Him. Lord, it seems an impossible dream, but maybe we can make it a reality in the ways we live and act in our small corner of your Kingdom. May we seek to do this today.
Amen
Liz Stuart
Monday 3rd March
Hymn: Teach me to dance (StF 477/SofF 1013/CMP 936)
Prayer:
We want to serve you in the world, Lord God, we want to make your love known, we want to tell people of the hope and peace that we have in you, but often we lack the courage to do so, fearful of not having the words to say and of questions we will struggle to answer. But sometimes it may also be because we know our own lives are not as good a witness to what we believe as they ought to be, and that stands in the way. So, Lord, we want to get more ‘in tune’ with you, to learn more of your will and your ways, and allow your Holy Spirit to act more freely in our lives – in other words, we want to follow more nearly the example Jesus set us. Lord, help us to make a start on this today, and discover the joy of dancing to the beat of your heart!
Amen
Liz Stuart
Sunday 2nd March
Hymn: Lord of creation to you be all praise (StF 449/H&P 699/MP 440)
Prayer:
Lord God, what a joy it is to come together to praise and worship you, to lift our voices in song and in prayer, and to find in this time, which both seals the end of one and begins a new week, a sense of peace and freedom. The peace and freedom that comes from the assurance that whatever the past days have held, maybe times we have let you down, things that have got us down, we can now put it all behind us knowing they are forgiven. And so now, Lord, we can look forward, reaching out to you for the days to come, acknowledging our need for you to be not just part of our lives, but to be involved in the whole of it. For it is only then that our praise and worship become real and meaningful, and we can truly live to your glory.
Amen
Liz Stuart
Saturday 1st March
Hymn: Your presence is a promise
Prayer:
There is something about the first day of a new month that fills us with anticipation, Lord, and perhaps a new determination to put behind us the past weeks and do better – maybe a bit like those times we had a new exercise book at school, and we made up our minds to be neater and more careful in our work. We don’t know what’s going to be written on the pages of this month, Lord, but we do know that you will be with us, watching over us, forgiving us, and loving us through it all. So let’s make a new resolution today! That we’re going to try to be more thoughtful in the way we act, more aware of how our words affect other people, more loving in the way we go about our lives, more careful of how we treat your creation and more prayerful in seeking to keep close to you. Help us to do this, Lord, and so make you known to those around us.
Amen
Liz Stuart