Monday 17th August
Hymn: Lord, make me a mountain (MP 436)
Prayer:
Lord God, as we go out into the world this week, into our local communities or further afield, help us to remember whose we are, and try to be the best we can be. May we be patient in our listening and encouraging in our speaking; kind in our actions and always ready to give a helping hand. May our thoughts be positive rather than critical, and our outlook expectant rather than simply anticipating the negative. And when we don’t have the words or are unsure of our actions, or just generally confused, may we be open to the guiding of your Holy Spirit and be ready to share your love. And if all else fails, to offer a smile that says “we see you and we care”.
Amen
Liz Stuart
Sunday 16th August
Hymn: Praise, my soul, the King of heaven (StF 83/H&P 13/SofF 466/MP 560)
Prayer:
Some hymns are so familiar and so well-known due to their popularity for weddings etc, Lord God, that we can sometimes sing them without really thinking about the words! So, as we lift our voices in song today, Lord, whether in our churches or in our homes, let us try to imagine what it means to praise and worship you as the ‘King of heaven’! So often we focus on all you have done for us in Jesus, and that’s absolutely right, but maybe we are in danger of only bringing you down to earth, and we lose sight of your holiness, your ‘otherness’. For we need to remember that you are Lord of lords and King of kings – otherwise how can we know that we can rely on you to help us in times of need? So today, Lord, while we wonder at your faithfulness and your love, let us lift our eyes higher and give you glory for all that you are!
Amen
Liz Stuart
Saturday 15th August
Hymn: Peace
Prayer:
We come to the end of another week, Lord, we look forward to rest and relaxation, but often we find it hard to settle. Our minds and our thoughts are still in overdrive – the tasks that we hoped to finish, the deadline still to be met, the problem still to be resolved, the disappointments, the person we upset – round and round it goes in our heads! Lord God, we need you to breathe into us your peace, to feel and to find the calm that only you can give settling over us, filling us, and reminding us that, in the great scheme of things, you are God, and you are able, and you are willing to work in every situation, in all things, for us and for our good. And remembering this, may we hear you whisper, ‘peace, be still!’
Amen
Liz Stuart
Friday 14th August
Hymn: A new commandment (StF 242/SofF 22/MP 1)
Prayer:
Many of us will have grown up with the 10 Commandments forming our moral code, and we are grateful for this, Lord Jusus, as it gives us a firm foundation upon which to build our lives. But your ‘new commandment’ is quite another story! Had you stopped at ‘love one another’ that would be demanding enough, as we all struggle to love one another all the time. It’s the next bit, the ‘as I have loved you’ which makes it so difficult. Because when we remember the extent of your love, Lord – a love which not only involved suffering and sacrifice, but which took you to the Cross – it seems an impossible command, and certainly not something we can achieve on our own. So, Lord, we ask for the help of your Holy Spirit to teach us how to love as you loved, one day at a time, beginning today.
Amen
Liz Stuart
Thursday 13th August
Hymn: Through the love of God our Saviour (StF 639)
Prayer:
Lord Jesus, in this troubled world it is often hard to find hope or to be optimistic about the future for our planet, our communities and even for ourselves. Across the world we see increasing signs of global warming with extremes of temperature, rising sea levels and excessive flooding, and efforts to reverse this trend seemingly ineffective. Like the wild fires, conflict seems to be spreading and out of control with a growing number of refugees, and often little will to bring this to an end. But, Lord, you tell us that ‘all will be well’, and you went to the Cross so that through your Resurrection we can be sure that love and life will always have the final word. Lord Jesus, give us the faith to believe this and, when all seems beyond repair, help us to hold onto our trust in you.
Amen
Liz Stuart
Wednesday 12th August
Hymn: Trusting in you alone
Prayer:
Whatever our need is today, Lord, whether it is for comfort, for reassurance or for guidance, we know we can bring it to you and find help, for you have promised that you will never leave us or forsake us. The anxiety that we try to put to the back of our minds, but it keeps on rearing its head at unguarded moments; the problem at work that refuses to our best efforts to sort it out; the niggling worries over the health of a loved one when we’re convinced we’re not being told the whole story – or the concern for our own health or the possibility of losing our independence, and so on. You hear it all, Lord, and you simply ask us to put our trust in you, for, when we do, we shall find peace and our strength renewed.
Amen
Liz Stuart
Tuesday 11th August
Hymn: Amazing grace (StF 440/H&P 215/SofF 19/MP 31)
Prayer:
What makes your grace so amazing, Lord God, is that it is free and totally underserved. We have done nothing to earn or merit your goodness to us – in fact it is only your mercy and your great love for us that makes it possible for us to approach you! And yet we are able to do this because, through Jesus, we know our sins have been forgiven, that all that separates us from you has been done away with, and we have received the gift of life, through your Holy Spirit living in us. We thank you, Lord, and ask that you will help us live today in ways that bring you glory.
Amen
Liz Stuart
Monday 10th August
Hymn: Send down the fire of your justice (StF 413)
Prayer:
Lord God, it’s not easy to live as your people even in Western society, where we are met with indifference rather than physical opposition. Our tendency is to want to fit in, to not cause an argument or to be seen as different, and yet we come across so many situations in our daily lives where we see or hear of injustice, conflict or oppression – situations where we know we should speak out, but lack the confidence and the courage to do so. Lord, through your Holy Spirit breathe new life and energy into us, that we may follow the example of Jesus in reaching out with compassion, in speaking truth to power, so that all we say and do may ‘ring with the sound of your love’.
Amen
Liz Stuart
Sunday 9th August
Hymn: Lord, I come before your throne of grace (StF58/SofF 894)
Prayer:
Lord God, nothing is hidden from your sight, and as we come to worship you today you know our anxieties, our hopes and the burdens we carry that no-one else sees. Help us to put these on one side, to rest in your presence, to open our hearts and minds and lives to your Holy Spirit – and as we offer our praises and our prayers to allow you to lift us up to a place of peace and light. The pressures of life will still be there, Lord, but as we are reminded of your faithfulness and your great love, may we find ourselves strengthened and more able to face whatever tomorrow brings. For you have promised to be with us at all times and in every situation we find ourselves, and in this certainty we place our hope and our trust.
Amen
Liz Stuart
Saturday 8th August
Hymn: When I needed a neighbour (StF 256/SofF 1604)
Prayer:
As we look back over the past week and reflect on the people we have met and the conversations we have had, it’s interesting to see what a variety there has been. A brief chat at the supermarket checkout, or in the queue at a bus stop. Maybe a longer conversation at the hairdresser or the doctor or a business transaction; a catch up with a family member – or simply passing the time of day with a neighbour. Lord God, you give us so many opportunities to interact with other people, and perhaps to be there for them when they especially needed someone to talk to – those God-given moments that we can’t foresee. Lord, help us to be more aware of those around us, to see beneath the surface, and be ready to offer a listening ear and, above all, your love.
Amen
Liz Stuart
Friday 7th August
Hymn: Bigger than any mountain
Prayer:
If we’ve been overwhelmed, knocked off balance, filled with fear or foreboding by events of the past few days, whether on the world scene, or in our neighbourhoods, or in our own lives, then we need to remind ourselves just how great our God is! That while all that is going on around or within us may cause us anxiety or alarm, God is still in control, and will in the end have the final word. For as we look with dismay at the flimsy nature of peace negotiations, while we are horrified, and rightly so, at violence and discrimination and the abuse of power, and all the evils that human beings are capable of, we have the Cross of Jesus to remind us that life and light and love have, and always will, conquer the power of darkness and death – and may we hold onto this for here, and only here, will we find hope!
Amen
Liz Stuart
Thursday 6th August
Hymn: God sent His Son (Because he lives) SofF 736/MP52
Prayer:
People put their trust in all sorts of things, Lord God – in their career, their possessions, their savings, in different therapies – all in the hope of a finding happiness, security, fulfilment, along with guarantees for the future – and so often these hopes and dreams come to nothing. But you, Lord, offer us a wholly different type of security, happiness and fulfilment, that is rooted not in our own achievements, but in what has already been won for us in Jesus Christ your Son. For through His death and Resurrection we not only receive forgiveness and a right relationship with you, we are given new life through your Holy Spirit living in us, assuring us of your presence with us and your love guiding us – and a hope that will never disappoint us. We thank you, Lord!
Liz Stuart
Wednesday 5th August
Hymn: Be still
Prayer:
There are times, Lord God, when nothing seems to go right in our little world, with one disappointment or disaster after another, and we begin to despair of ever finding a way forward, and to become so immersed in our problems that we shut ourselves off from those who seek to help us, and even from you, Lord. Indeed, we sometimes have to reach rock bottom before we turn to you, but when we do, Lord, we find our anxieties quietened. Not because our difficulties have miraculously disappeared, but because we are putting ourselves and our trust in a greater authority, helping us to gain a new perspective. For nothing is beyond your power, Lord, and with your love surrounding us, and in the strength you provide, we somehow find new peace and hope.
Liz Stuart
Tuesday 4th August
Hymn: All hail the power of Jesu’s name (StF 342/H&P 252/SofF 9/MP 13)
Prayer:
Lest we become too ‘chummy’ Lord Jesus, we need to remember just how great and glorious you are. We often seem to focus on your humanity, your ‘earthiness’, forgetting all you gave up to become born as one of us, and all you returned to after your Resurrection. Yet it is so important to remember this, for it is only through your divinity that you were able to overcome the power of sin and death, to rise to life, and to offer that life in all its immensity, all its fullness, all its eternity to us. So let’s take time today to wonder, to bow down in awe and to worship you in all your majesty, in the sure hope of one day being for ever before your throne of grace in heaven.
Amen
Liz Stuart
Monday 3rd August
Hymn: All for Jesus (StF 341/H&P 251)
Prayer:
When we think of all you have done for us, Lord Jesus, in coming to earth, in your life, death and Resurrection, all our efforts to follow you pale into insignificance. For you set us an example to follow, of reaching out to the least and the lowest, in your suffering and death you showed us a love which knows no limits and in your Resurrection the power to overcome all that would separate us from God, even death itself. And yet you accept us as we are, in the poverty of our witness to all of this, and in our inability to follow your way of living and loving. We thank you, Lord, and ask that, through the power and guidance of your Holy Spirit, we may always seek to give of our whole selves to you, and to live to your praise and glory.
Amen
Liz Stuart
Sunday 2nd August
Hymn: Shine, Jesus, shine (StF 59/SofF 362 /MP 445)
Prayer:
Lord Jesus, we do our best to be welcoming and friendly in our churches; we bend over backwards to make everyone feel at home and that they belong, but sometimes this can mean we almost become more like a social club, chatting to our neighbour or even across the aisle until the Service actually begins. It seems that gone are the days when there was a sense of quiet anticipation! And while there is much to commend a greater informality, perhaps it comes at the expense of the awesomeness that should surely be present in our Worship – that we are stepping into the presence of an Almighty God, coming at your invitation, Lord, to be inspired by your Holy Spirit. So as we meet today may we take time to wonder at the tremendous privilege of this opportunity to gaze upon you, Lord, and then go out to reflect your light into the world.
Amen
Liz Stuart
Saturday 1st August
Hymn: Perfect peace
Prayer:
Perfect peace, Lord? In a busy, noisy and often confusing world where can we find it? That quiet haven where we can let go of the tensions, the expectations, the responsibilities that wear us down. Escape from the anxieties that rob us of our sleep, and the fear of what the future may hold for ourselves, our loved ones. Release from the weight of grief, of loneliness, of bereavement in its many forms that holds us captive and prevents us from moving on. Only in you, Lord, only when we know ourselves held safely in your arms, where our thoughts are stilled, our burdens lifted, and our cares and worries absorbed in your love. That is the perfect peace you promise us, Lord, the peace we need. May we put our trust in you and know your peace today.
Amen
Liz Stuart
Friday 31st July
Hymn: A touching place (SofF 685)
Prayer:
We don’t know who we will meet today, Lord Jesus. The person at the supermarket checkout who has a smile for everyone but whose eyes tell a different story. The young mum, the object of attention, and obviously embarrassed as she tries to soothe her crying child on the bus. The teenager locked into his phone, the elderly person, fiercely independent, trying to manage a walking frame and a shopping bag. They all have stories, Lord, things that are hidden from us but not from you. Lord, give us compassion, and a heart for those around us – and if the opportunity arises, help us to offer words of hope, of encouragement and of loving care as from you.
Amen
Liz Stuart
Thursday 30th July
Hymn: Praise the Lord, he never changes
Prayer:
In our ever-changing world it can seem as if we are always trying to catch up, always one step behind all the new technologies, trends, policies, regulations and the like – and it can be un-nerving and de-stabilising, especially to those of us who are older and sometimes a little less adaptable! And so it’s so good to know, Lord God, that you never change – that you go on upholding, supporting, loving and caring for us whatever is happening in the world around us and in our own lives. When all around us feels like shifting sand you are the rock that remains firm and unmoving beneath our feet, and we thank you that we can trust you to keep us safe and secure. Whatever unsettles us today may we remember this and turn to you. Praise the Lord!
Amen
Liz Stuart
Wednesday 29th July
Hymn: Outrageous grace (SofF 2060)
Prayer:
It’s so easy to be weighed down by all the bad news we see and hear – warfare, violent acts of individuals, wild fires out of control and so on – it dominates the headlines, often rightly so. But it also causes fear and insecurity to permeate our souls and our lives, so that we lose any sense of balance and begin to absorb the negativity that seems to infiltrate every level of society today. So today, Lord Jesus, let’s celebrate all the good things we see happening in the world – the miracles of healing, acts of kindness, the unsung heroes in our local communities seeking to support those in need – all those who work together to bring help and hope in areas of suffering and deprivation. And to know that in all these places you are there, simply asking us to work alongside you to make your love and the new life you offer known.
Amen
Liz Stuart
Tuesday 28th July
Hymn: O Lord, our Lord, throughout the earth (StF 112)
Prayer:
Lord God, we see your glory in the whole of your Creation, and we revel in the beauty and wonder of all you have made. And when you created human beings it was to be caretakers, to reflect your image in the way we looked after the earth, its creatures and its resources, and yet we have significantly failed to do this. Rather than caring for our planet we have exploited it, reaping the results of our misuse in global warming and climate change. Lord, we ask for your forgiveness, but this is not enough if we are not willing to change our ways. Rather, we pray for your wisdom to guide those who are seeking to reverse the damage we have caused, and that we may do our best to live in ways that respect and value the world around us.
Amen
Liz Stuart
Monday 27th July
Hymn: One more step along the world I go (StF 476/H&P 746/SofF 1483)
Prayer:
We set out on a new working week, Lord God, and for some of us it’s the beginning of the holiday season – schools and colleges are out and there’s a change in routine – though for others there will be other pressures, making different arrangements for child care, or, perhaps, if we are retired, calling on us to take on extra responsibilities. Life can be complicated, but often gives us lots of new opportunities, not only to learn about you, Lord, but also about ourselves and the gifts you have given us. So, whatever the coming days hold, Lord, let us look forward with joyful anticipation, and may every step we take and every new experience we receive give you glory.
Amen
Liz Stuart
Sunday 26th July
Hymn: When the music fades (StF 437/SofF 1113/CMP 1016)
Prayer:
I guess we’ve all been guilty of coming to worship on a Sunday with all sorts of thoughts chasing through our minds, people we need to see, things we have to do – maybe wondering whether we have put the oven on, and even hoping the preacher won’t be too long because we have folk coming to lunch! And so, Lord Jesus, we forget that it is all about you, that you are the very heart of it, all you mean to us, all you have done for us. Today, Lord, as we sing those hymns of praise, lift up our prayers and listen to your word, help us to really engage out whole minds and hearts, for then we will leave not only knowing that we have met with you, but find that all those other concerns will have fallen into place.
Amen
Liz Stuart
Saturday 25th July
Hymn: Open Lord my inward ear (StF 450/H&P 540)
Prayer:
Sometimes, Lord, when we think you are silent, not seeming to answer our prayers, it is simply because we’re not listening. Maybe we are expecting to hear you speaking in a more obvious way – a bit like Elijah, in earthquake, wind and fire! But often you reach out to us in much more subtle ways – in the encouraging word of a friend, the smile of a stranger that lifts our spirits, the unexpected offer of help just when we were giving up hope. And so, while we mustn’t dismiss those all-important times spent with you in quietness, help us today, Lord, to be ready to recognise you speaking in unexpected ways, and know ourselves blessed.
Amen
Liz Stuart
Friday 24th July
Hymn: Faithful (SofF 2271/web)
Prayer:
Lord God, many of us can look back over our lives and see your guiding hand. Maybe we didn’t realise it at the time, and it is only now that we realise the pattern of your faithfulness, how you have upheld us in times of sadness or difficulty, how you have been there for us, giving us encouragement when we feel we have failed, and the strength we have needed at those times we were up against it. And because of this, Lord, we know that whatever we are dealing with now, or will face in the future, you will not let us down. ‘Forever you are faithful’, Lord, and if we have discovered this for ourselves, let’s make sure we share it with other people!
Amen
Liz Stuart
Thursday 23rd July
Hymn: Be lifted up (SofF 1190)
Prayer:
We don’t know what this day holds for us, Lord God, but right at its very beginning, before we do anything else, we want to praise and worship you, to lift you up. For you are our faithful God, our Rock, the One on whom we can rely, the One we can turn to in times of confusion or insecurity and know your guidance. You are there to give us strength when we face life’s challenges, to comfort us in times of sorrow, and to surround us with your love when we feel lost or alone. You know the path you have laid out for our lives, and all you have planned is for our good. And so we want to thank you, Lord, and whatever this day brings, in all we say and do, help us to walk in your way and give you glory.
Amen
Liz Stuart
Wednesday 22nd July
Hymn: God will make a way
Prayer:
Life can sometimes be hard, Lord, even cruel, and some people seem to have more that their share of difficulties, one thing on top of another, while others appear to have an easy ride. Like a lot of things in life, we don’t understand why this is so, and when it happens to us or someone close to us it can feel so unfair! But what we do know is that whatever we have to go through, you are there alongside us, and while we can’t see a way forward, you, Lord, have everything in hand. For, as the song says, you ‘will make a way where there seems to be no way’, working in ways we cannot see, and giving us the courage and strength we need. Let’s pray today for those who don’t know you, Lord, and that, even if they don’t recognise it, you will be there for them too.
Amen
Liz Stuart
Tuesday 21st July
Hymn: Jesus Christ, I think upon your sacrifice (StF 274/SofF 865/CMP 995)
Prayer:
Lord Jesus, many of us are used to making sacrifices, giving of our time or something we’d planned to do, ‘going the extra mile’, giving of our resources and so on, all of it so that someone else will benefit in some way. Maybe that sacrifice has been even more costly, giving up an ambition or an opportunity, and doing so has altered the course of our life. But nothing can compare with the sacrifice you made for us, Lord, in coming to earth, enduring pain and suffering and, as if this was not enough, giving up your life so that we might have life, life in all its fullness. So today, Lord, if we are asked to put ourselves out, may we remember all you have done for us, and do it willingly and with a smile on our face!
Amen
Liz Stuart
Monday 20th July
Hymn: Be not afraid
Prayer:
As we set out on a new week, Lord God, we do so with mixed emotions. Maybe a lot of what we will be doing is hum-drum, routine stuff, not exactly exciting or taxing but it has to be done. Hopefully there are also some things we are really looking forward to, and perhaps we have been waiting patiently for them to happen for some time. Then there are those difficult issues that crop up from time to time, where we know our brain and maybe our temper will be challenged – and there will be the unexpected ‘bouncers’ that throw us off course. The good news is that wherever and however we find ourselves this week, we can be certain you will be there, going before us to prepare the way, and because of this we can go forward with courage and faith.
Amen
Liz Stuart
Sunday 19th July
Hymn: We have come into this place (SofF 579/MP 729)
Prayer:
Lord God, on this day we set apart to celebrate the Resurrection of your Son, Jesus Christ, we want to focus our whole attention upon you, our loving, faithful God. This doesn’t mean that this is the only time and place we can reach out to you – many of us will have those times and places during the week, though we know how easily we can get distracted by the pressures and responsibilities of life. And so it is this deliberate act of coming together as your people to offer our praises and our prayers that makes today special. Help us to be open to your word today, Lord; help us to listen with the ears and eyes of our minds and hearts, so that we may be moved and changed, and go out better equipped to live as your people in your world.
Amen
Liz Stuart
Saturday 18th July
Hymn: All to Jesus I surrender (SofF 1163/MP 25)
Prayer:
We’re often impressed by the dedication of those who excel in the field of sport, or of scientific discovery or the arts – the hours of practice to perfect that tennis serve, the months, perhaps years, spent poring over experiments to find a cure for a disease, the patience needed to go over and over the same passage to achieve that high level of performance and so on. But, Lord Jesus, how does all this match up to our commitment to you? Do we, are we willing to offer you the same sort of dedication? Can we honestly say ‘I surrender all’? And yet we know that, if we are going to truly know the fulfilment and hope and peace you offer us, this is the only way. So, Lord, we ask you to help us get our priorities right, and to seek to give our whole selves to you.
Amen
Liz Stuart
Friday 17th July
Hymn: By faith we see the hand of God (SofF 2240/web)
Prayer:
When things fall into place unexpectedly some people call it coincidence, but when we put our trust in you, Lord God, we know it is you at work in our lives. And the great thing is, when we then begin to look at things from a faith perspective, we see how blessed we are. But it also means that we are joining a long line of people stretching far back into history who have looked at events and seen in your word the promise of things to come. So, help us to keep looking, Lord, for those small or sometimes even large ‘God-instances’, and smile – but also remember to give you the praise and glory!
Amen
Liz Stuart
Thursday 16th July
Hymn: He knows my name (SofF 795)
Prayer:
So often nowadays we have come to be identified by a number, by an ethnic group, by an age band and so on – we have become an anonymous society – but that is not how you think of us, Lord God. For to you we are a unique person, you made us, you know us by name, you know all about us, and we belong to you. And so important is that bond, Lord, that we can call you Father, for you love us and care for each one of us as your child, and are always watching out for us and always seeking our well-being. While to others we may be simply a statistic, to you we are special, and you just long for us to turn to you and get to know you better. Thank you, Lord!
Amen
Liz Stuart
Wednesday 15th July
Hymn: Battle belongs to the Lord
Prayer:
When we’re up against it, Lord God, and it’s hard to believe we will ever find a way through our difficulties, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed and defeated, hemmed in on every side. But it doesn’t need to be like this, Lord, when we remember that nothing can stand against your power. That while everything to us seems very negative, you are the God not only of the Cross but of the empty tomb, and that when we lay our problems before you and put our trust in you then, indeed, the ‘battle’ belongs to you. And no longer are we consumed by hopelessness or anxiety because you are the God of possibilities, who can transform every situation. If we are struggling in any way today, Lord, help us to remember this and turn to you.
Amen
Liz Stuart
Tuesday 14th July
Hymn: Let love be real (StF 615)
Prayer:
We use the word love in so many different ways, and often so lightly that it has little value, but when we use it to describe you, Lord God, it takes on a whole new meaning, because love is at the very heart of all you are. We see it the world around us, in all you have so carefully and lovingly made, but supremely in Jesus where we learn the true nature of love. For in Him we see love that has no limits or boundaries, love that reaches out in compassion to all, love that is sacrificial even to the point of suffering and death, but love so strong that it cannot be defeated even by death itself. This is the love you pour into our hearts by your Holy Spirit, Lord, and this is the love you want us to share with others, love that is authentic, love that is real. Help us, Lord, to do this today.
Amen
Liz Stuart
Monday 13th July
Hymn: We’ll walk the land (SofF 583/MP 743)
Prayer:
Lord Jesus, you sent your disciples out to carry the message of the gospel, first to those who had the same background as themselves and then to the ‘whole world’ – but nowadays it’s as though the whole world is on our doorstep. We rub shoulders every day with people who have very different backgrounds, cultures and beliefs to our own, and live in a society where the Christian teaching many of us grew up with, if not in our homes, then in our schools, is not known or taught to the same degree today – and so it’s sometimes difficult to find a common ground from which to start. But, Lord, you promised us the help of your Holy Spirit to give us the words to say, so, today, we’re going to step out in faith and look for those opportunities to speak and act for you!
Amen
Liz Stuart
Sunday 12th July
Hymn: The love of God comes close where stands an open door (StF 654)
Prayer:
Open doors can be risky, Lord! We never know who might come in, or who might walk out for that matter, and so we feel safer when we can keep them shut, more in control, more comfortable with the way things are and the people we know. But that was never your way, was it Jesus? Maybe it would have been safer if you had just stuck with what other people expected of you, with those who were ‘respectable’, and kept the rules, but you didn’t. You welcomed everyone, the poor, the outcast, the stranger, the ‘unclean’ and made them feel they belonged. We want to be more like you, but it’ll take courage, so, Lord, help us to see your vision of your church – and then let us fling the doors wide open, and invite others to discover how much you love them too!
Amen
Liz Stuart
Saturday 11th July
Hymn: Plans
Prayer:
Another week, Lord God, and maybe it hasn’t been all we’d hoped for. Perhaps things at work or at home have been a bit tense, tempers have been frayed, relationships have suffered and those plans we had made, the things we had intended to do, simply haven’t happened. And looking back we often discover that it’s because we had left you out, Lord, maybe we haven’t spent time with you, or really sought your guidance. Because, Lord, unlike the plans we make, which tend to revolve around ourselves, yours have a wider perspective, and are always looking towards our future well-being. So, Lord, help us to learn to rely on you, and, instead of putting our plans into action, to first put them before you, and then allow you to mould or change them and us for your, rather than our, glory!
Amen
Liz Stuart
Friday 10th July
Hymn: The River of God (SofF 703/CMP 821)
Prayer:
In a very hot, dry season, even after watering, the soil quickly dries out, and sometimes it can be a bit like that with our faith, Lord. We come to church, read our Bibles, listen to an invigorating talk but while we may go away inspired, somehow it doesn’t last and we soon feel weary, dried up – thirsty! We need that spring of water of your Holy Spirit to be continually bubbling up inside us, keeping us alive to you and renewing us. Lord, whatever it is that is draining us, sapping our souls, causing your ‘living water’ to leak out of us, help us to lay it before you and rediscover the refreshment that you alone can give, the infilling of your Holy Spirit, which is your promised gift when we put our trust in you.
Amen
Liz Stuart
Thursday 9th July
Hymn: I will offer up my life (StF 446/SofF 851/CMP 990)
Prayer:
Lord Jesus, when we think of all you have done for us, through your death and Resurrection bearing our sin and opening up the way to life in all its glorious fullness, we can only respond by giving our whole selves to you. And yet, however much we want to do this, it’s not always that easy because we instinctively try to hold onto some control, to make our own choices and decisions, even though in our heart of hearts we know these so often take us in the wrong direction! Lord, help us not only to listen to the guidance of your Holy Spirit today, but to receive the strength we need to follow it, for only then will we discover the true joy and contentment that comes from offering our lives completely to you.
Amen
Liz Stuart
Wednesday 8th July
Hymn: I know who holds tomorrow
Prayer:
There are many uncertainties in life and each day brings its own surprises, which we can look forward to with joyful anticipation or with feelings of unease and anxiety. And which of these we experience will depend largely on where, or rather, in whom we are placing our trust. For with you, Lord God, life becomes a journey of discovery where we learn more about ourselves and more about you, and where we can be confident that nothing is beyond your loving care. But the good news is that this doesn’t only apply to today, important though this is, it’s also about the future, which is often where our biggest fears lie. How great it is to know, then, that you, Lord, our loving and faithful God, hold all our tomorrows in your hands too!
Amen
Liz Stuart
Tuesday 7th July
Hymn: Meekness and majesty (StF 362/SofF 390/MP 465)
Prayer:
Because of your divinity, Lord Jesus, we look up to you as our Lord and Saviour, the One through taking our sin upon Himself, brings us close to God. But because of your humanity, Lord Jesus, we know that we can approach you with all our needs, for comfort in times of grief, for clarity in times of confusion, and for understanding when we are facing times of anxiety or uncertainty. For you, Lord, went through all the heights and depths of emotion turmoil, and of the kind of mental and physical challenges that we face, and yet were not overcome by them. And so, in all the different and perhaps difficult situations we will meet today, Lord, we ask that we will be given your strength, your courage and your compassion, so that we might speak and act wisely and well, and to your glory.
Amen
Liz Stuart
Monday 6th July
Hymn: Filled with compassion (SofF 716/CMP 828)
Prayer:
There are so many lost and lonely people in this world, Lord, and many in our own communities and neighbourhoods too for whom life has lost its meaning and purpose. It was the same in the time of Jesus, moving Him with compassion to describe them as like ‘sheep without a shepherd’, and in many ways little has changed. It’s easy for us to be content to support charities both at home and abroad by giving money, and that’s important and necessary, especially when there is so much suffering caused by war and natural disaster – but it doesn’t exactly move us out of our comfort zones. We need you to also stir us to action – to fill us with your passion for those who do not know you – and then, Lord, send us out in the power of your Spirit, we pray, to live and work and witness for you.
Amen
Liz Stuart
Sunday 5th July
Hymn: The trumpets sound (StF 35/SofF 550/MP 667)
Prayer:
On this day when we celebrate your glorious Resurrection, we come to worship you, Lord Jesus, to remember all you have done for us, and to revel in all the joy you bring to our lives. For some of us, brought up in a Christian home, this has always been our experience, but others of us can look back to a time when we did not know you, when ‘church’ was an alien place and somewhere we didn’t belong! So today, let’s take a moment to give thanks for those who invited us in, those who made us feel welcome, and most of all, who showed us and told us of your love. And let us then go out to share our story and invite others to come and discover the new life and joy we have found in you.
Amen
Liz Stuart
Saturday 4th July
Hymn: Deep, deep love of Jesus
Prayer:
With all the turmoil in the world and the unrest in many of our communities, it’s not surprising that many today feel fearful of what the future holds. But, when everything seems out of control and broken, where do we look for safety, where can we find the stability and certainty that we seek? The answer is that we can only find this in you, Lord Jesus, for you alone can offer us healing and the sense of wholeness we need, in you alone can we find real and lasting peace. For held in the security of your deep love, somehow those things that were troubling us, those anxieties that kept us awake at night, those fears that robbed us of our hopes no longer have power over us. May we find rest in an abiding sense of your presence with us today, Lord.
Amen
Liz Stuart
Friday 3rd July
Hymn: Teach me to dance (StF 477/SofF1013/CMP 936)
Prayer:
Lord, it’s when we do ‘dance to the beat of your heart’ that we discover real meaning and purpose in our lives. For you created us, invested in us gifts and abilities which will only come to fruition when we use them in the way you have intended, and to your glory. The trouble is we find it so easy to get ‘out of step’ with you. It’s not that we mean to, more that we get distracted, or tempted to do things in our own way and in our own strength – and that’s when we become disillusioned, disappointed with ourselves and with life in general. When this happens call us back to you, Lord! Help us today to listen out for the guidance of your Holy Spirit, that inner voice that both warns and woos us, reminding us of your love, and setting our feet once more on the right path.
Amen
Liz Stuart
Thursday 2nd July
Hymn: Called by Christ to be disciples (StF 660)
Prayer:
We are all different, Lord Jesus, our personalities, our gifts, our ways of working and our physical capabilities are not the same, and yet you call us all to follow you, to be your disciples, to be learners of you. To become part of a long line of those who, over many hundreds of years, have given their lives to you, and allowed you to use them to spread the good news of the love and life you alone can offer. We want to be part of this, Lord, but often we lack the confidence, or feel we‘re not worthy, that we haven’t the knowledge or the skills required, but actually all you ask of us is our ‘yes’, for it is our very weakness that enables you to work in us and through us. So, today, Lord, help us to take heart and trust you to provide the resources and the courage we need!
Amen
Liz Stuart
Wednesday 1st July
Hymn: Under his wings
Prayer:
Where else would we rather be, Lord God, than safely in your loving care, protected from those things that would harm us, sheltered from the storms of life. Only it isn’t quite like this is it Lord, because we all have to face the cost and the limitations of being human. Hard things happen, illness strikes, relationships break down, insecurity causes anxiety, and loss and bereavement in its many forms is something we all have to face. But in all these situations, Lord, you promise to be with us, enabling us to cope, making it possible to find hope and, in it all, to know peace your peace. Lord, whatever is going on in our lives today, may we know ourselves held in your love and given the strength we need.
Amen
Liz Stuart