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

Ps 8:9 NIV

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

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

We thank you for our world that reflects your majesty and power, your light and radiance, your peace and calm, your goodness and your infinite love for us in Jesus.

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

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

Ruth Rushworth

May grace and peace be yours in abundance through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord.

2 Peter 1:2 NIV

Tell them about me,
You know who I am,
I am Jesus, your Saviour,
Your God made man.

Your truth in every situation,
Your shield against the foe,
Your peace in times of anguish,
Your friend when you’re feeling low.

My grace is abundant,
My forgiveness is guaranteed,
My love is freely given,
Come to me and receive.

Gracious God, thank you for your amazing love for each and every one of us. May we open our hearts to You and share your love and peace with others. We ask in the name of Jesus. Amen.

You saw who you created me to be before I became me! .. .. every single moment You are thinking of me! How precious and wonderful to consider that You cherish me constantly in your every thought! O God, your desires toward me are more than the grains of sand on every shore! ……

Ps 139: 16-18 TPT

Summertime comes,
Summertime goes,
All the while your mercy flows,
Waves of renewal,
Awash with peace,
A tide of love,
An assurance of grace.

Loving God, as we reflect we thank you for your constant love for us.

We pray for all those who are facing change, or new beginnings, or moving away from what is comfortable and familiar. Whether that brings excitement or anxiety, we pray that they will know how precious and loved they are by You.

May your love and peace wash over us and all those we love and pray for. Amen

Ruth Rushworth

The Lord bless you and keep you;
The Lord make his face to shine upon you
And be gracious to you;
The Lord lift up his countenance upon you
And give you peace.

Numbers 6: 24-26 ESV

May we be filled with the love of Jesus.
The love that strengthens, the love that brings purpose, the love that brings peace, the love that brings joy, eternal hope and promise, the love that is greater than knowledge. The love that creates, brings life and sustains us. 

The love we simply receive as a gift from God through Jesus. Because God is love. 

Gracious God thank you for Jesus. As we read these words help us open our hearts to your  love. As we read these words we lift before You for anyone in need of your loving touch and presence. Help us to share your love and kindness with others, for Jesus sake. May your love radiate throughout our world. Amen

Ruth Rushworth

Reflection written during the Quiet Time in church on Tuesday evening.

The Lord watches over you –
The Lord watches over your coming and going
Both now and evermore.

Ps 121 v 5 & 8

We sit, in the peace of church,
Looking through the glass partition
To the illuminated cross …

Through the glass we see
reflections of busy lives,
Commuters walking to and from the station,
Cars passing, runners jogging,
Children riding bikes.

We see images, snippets of life,
All visible under the watchful eye
And the open arms of the cross.

Each precious life watched over
By the God of love,
The God of life,
The God of hope.

We sit in the silence and pray …
Come Lord Jesus,
Come, watch over us,
Come, bless our community
With your never ending love.

Loving God, thank you for watching over us now and always. Open our ears to listen, our eyes to see and our hearts to respond to the needs of those around us. We pray for anyone in need of the assurance of your love and presence with them today. In Jesus name. Amen.

Ruth Rushworth

… God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit who has been given to us. 
Romans 5:5 NIV

Gracious God, Jesus promised a helper, a counsellor, a comforter and a guide; the Holy Spirit who will always be with us. We thank You for this beautiful gift and  reflect on the elements we associate with your Spirit –

Fire – thank you for the fire that energises, lights and warms our hearts

Water – thank you for the water that cleanses, refreshes, restores and sustains our bodies and souls

Wind – thank you for the wind that breathes life, change and transformation into our lives.

We also reflect on the image of a dove, descending, and bringing love, compassion, reconciliation and peace.

Gracious God of all goodness, life, love, energy, purpose, creativity, peace and joy, thank you for the natural  gifts you have given us and for the gift of your Spirit, freely given to all through Jesus. May your love and life transform our hearts and our world, for Jesus sake. Amen

Ruth Rushworth

Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. 
1 Peter 5:7 

Gracious God, following on Mental Health Awareness week, we reflect on the words of Methodist Deacon Eunice Attwood : –

Loving and compassionate God,In the ebb and flow of our mental health, Breathe peace into anxious minds.
Pour strength into weary hearts.
Let hope rise in the lonely silences.

May we listen with openness,
Love beyond measure,

Guide us, loving God, to remove barriers,
Replacing stigma with compassion,
Nurturing a world where mental health is cherished,
Where every heart finds shelter in grace.

For your love endures,
A light for our path, a presence in every breath

Amen.

Let us praise God for his glorious grace, for the free gift He gave us in his dear Son!

Eph 1:6 GNT

Grace is sufficient,
Grace is enough,
When the day is easy,
Or the going is tough.

Grace cannot be earned,
Bought or sold,
But is given freely, 
From a heart of gold.

Grace is love, 
Kindness and care,
A concern for others,
And their best welfare.

Grace forgives,
The hurts we face,
Bringing peace and freedom,
From past mistakes. 

Grace brings promise,
Hope and peace,
Of love without end,
And life that will not cease.

Grace flows freely,
Through Jesus God’s Son,
By the power of the Spirit,
Now and in times to come.

Gracious God, as we reflect, we relax our bodies, quieten our minds and breathe deeply of your grace and your peace ……

As we breathe, we thank you for your free-flowing grace that is ours in Jesus …

As we breathe, we thank you for the grace we have received from others …

As we breathe, help us to open our arms and hearts and extend your grace to others …

We bring the prayers of our breath to You in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Ruth Rushworth

Jesus appears to two friends 
walking from Jerusalem to Emmaus
Luke 24: 13-25

We walked along the dusty road
Confusion in the air,
Puzzling over recent events –
The tomb is empty, Jesus isn’t there!

Jesus was left on the cross to die,
Nails pierced his hands and feet,
Blood and water gushed from his side,
He said it is finished, complete!

His body was laid in an empty cave,
With a boulder it was tightly secured,
Who moved it and where did they take him?
This mystery just cannot be endured.

Why are you distraught? a stranger asked,
As we journeyed on our way.
Haven’t you heard about Jesus? we replied,
His body has disappeared this very day.

The stranger walked along with us,
He opened our eyes and ears,
He explained the meaning of scriptures,
He spoke of Jesus, calmed our worries and fears.

The time passed quickly and all to soon,
We arrived at Emmaus our destination,
Come, stay, eat with us we implored,
Your words point the way to salvation.

As we shared bread realisation dawned,
With joy, we recognised Jesus, our Lord,
He had been alongside us all the way,
On that dry and dusty Emmaus road.

Loving God, thank You that you raised Jesus to life on Easter Sunday.  Be with us and walk with us in our times of doubt and confusion. Open our eyes, our ears and our hearts, to fully receive the message of new life, of love, forgiveness, hope, joy and peace.  Jesus is alive and with us today by his Spirit!

Dear Lord, may we know the assurance that Jesus walks alongside us today and every day.  May we walk and talk with each other each, especially in times of difficulty,  with the love, hope and understanding of Jesus.  Amen.

Ruth Rushworth