“..When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him and he began to teach them….” (Matt 5: 1-2 NIV).

Gracious God, we thank You that You know us and look on us with love. We thank you for your many blessings, promises and everlasting care. We thank You that as we pass through valleys, mountain tops, shadows and sunshine, You are always with us and ready to teach us, guide us, comfort us and restore us.

Gracious God, may we simply come to You. May we draw near with an open heart and mind, trusting in your goodness and love.  As we read, speak, hear and absorb the words of Jesus, may the transforming love of Your Holy Spirit work for good in our lives. Amen.

Ruth Rushworth

Love never fails             

 1 Cor 13:8 NIVUK

Love is patient, love is kind.  It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.  It does not dishonour others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.  Love does not delight in evil, but rejoices with the truth.  It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.  Love never fails.

1 Cor 13: 4 – 8 NIVUK

Gracious God we thank You for these divine,  beautiful, and well-loved verses, so often recited at weddings to show the qualities and character of the love we desire to share with each other.

We praise You that this love is personified in Jesus. As we seek Your presence and Your will, may Your love transform us through the working of the Holy Spirit, that we might display the fullness of love in our lives.

We thank you for those who have shown us love and we pray for those in need of love……As we consider these challenging verses, we listen in our hearts, for anything You may wish to say to us today…… Gracious God, we thank You for love. Amen

Ruth Rushworth

..may you have power to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge…

Eph 3:18-19 NIV

God of love and life, we come to You with praise and thankfulness for Jesus. We reflect  on His amazing love and our relationship with Him in our daily lives…..

Loving God, draw us closer.  May we know the extravagant and endless love of Jesus in our heart and in the very depth of our being. May we know His joy, peace and power and may His gracious love overflow through us to others.

We thank you too for the beautiful flowers that adorn the empty cross and speak of life, hope and a future. We give flowers on so many  occasions – to celebrate, congratulate, cheer, thank, offer sympathy, or simply to say I’m thinking of you, I’m here for you.  As we see, send or receive flowers, may they be a reminder of the wonderful love of Jesus, Emmanuel, God with us.

Ruth Rushworth

Jesus told him “…Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”

John 20:29 NIV

Loving God, we reflect – as Thomas encountered the risen Jesus he exclaimed “my Lord and my God.”  Jesus replied “because you have seen me you have believed.  Blessed are those who have not seen yet have believed.”

Loving God, thank you that we can come to You, openly and honestly with our doubts and our questions. We cannot hide them from You, for You know them already. We take a moment to speak with You now about anything on our hearts…..

Loving, living God, You are our true hope, our joy, the One who brings meaning, purpose and peace. You lead us out of darkness into your marvellous light* and we praise You.  Bless and increase our faith.  Grant us peace, wisdom and understanding.  May we trust You with any questions that have not yet been answered.  May your Holy Spirit reveal Jesus afresh to us, so that we too may exclaim “my Lord and my God.”

Ruth Rushworth

*1 Peter 2:9 NIV

“…I have called you by name, you are mine..”

Isaiah 43:1  NIV

In the garden
The tomb was bare,
Flowers were budding,
Blossom everywhere.

Where has he gone?
Can he be found?
The tomb is empty,
Is Jesus around?

Where are you Lord?
I call out your name.
I listen, I look
In every cranny and nook.

I turn and see, before my eyes
The Son of God, what a surprise!
Calling my name, loud and clear,
………, my precious child, I am here.

God of amazing grace,
You know me by name – yes, me!
You love me – yes, me!

God of amazing grace, we praise You and reflect on the power of your love; the love that resurrected Jesus from the darkness of the tomb and gave life.

On that first Easter morning Mary Magdalene, after witnessing Jesus give his life on the cross on Good Friday, heard the risen Jesus call out her name….. We praise you and thank you, God of amazing grace, that You know us  and call to us by name……

As we turn to You, we thank You that You are alongside us in the garden of our lives. As we consider our response to your call, refresh our hearts and minds with the assurance of your living, loving presence with us.  May the beauty and colour of springtime remind us of your love, and may we tell others of this love, for Jesus’ sake. Amen.

Ruth Rushworth

…Perfect love drives out fear …

1 John 4:18 NIV

Through the heart of love
We are cherished
We are led.

Through the mind of love
We are nourished
We are fed.

Through the gaze of love
We are seen
We are known.

Loved and accepted
Brought safely home.

Gracious God, we praise you for the resurrection of Jesus on Easter morning and the new and everlasting life we have through him!

We thank you that we have a true and eternal home, a rich inheritance in heaven; one that will never fade, spoil or perish, kept in heaven for us, until you call us home. Thank you that there are many rooms in your heavenly home, a place for each and every one of us, secured by the life, death and resurrection of Jesus our Saviour.

Therefore, we need not fear.

Loving God, we praise you and thank you for your perfect, all-embracing love. No person or situation is beyond the reach of your amazing grace. May we turn to Jesus in trust and faith to receive all you offer us in our lives today, out of the boundless riches of your goodness and love. Amen.

Ruth Rushworth

See :-
John 11:25
1 Peter 1:4
John 14:2

For God loved the world so much that he gave his only son, so that everyone who believes in him will not die but have eternal life.

John 3:16 GNT

I simply come,
Just as I am.
Accept me dear Lord,
My sacrificial lamb.
You paid the great price,
I was bought a cost,
The life of Jesus,
Surrendered for the lost

A life given freely,
Out of love for me.
A life given gladly,
To set me free.
A life given lovingly,
To welcome me home.
A life given tenderly,
My saviour, my own.

Loving mercy sets me free,
Compassionate love longs for me,
Holy love calls me close,
Gracious love in thee I trust.

God of mercy and grace, we praise you for Jesus. We thank you, that despite how things may have seemed to the disciples, Good Friday was not the end of the story, but the day that Jesus defeated death on the cross – for all us and paved the way for his glorious resurrection on Easter Sunday.

We praise you that you are a loving and compassionate God, who suffered for us beyond our imaginings. You understand our deepest needs and longings. You meet with us in the depths of our need, you carry our burdens and you lift us up.

Gracious God, as we reflect on the love of Jesus would you hold us in your loving arms and draw us close. May the good news of our salvation keep us in the love of Jesus, both now and forever. Amen.

Ruth Rushworth

Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life. 

Ps 23:6 NIV

The words are simple,
Their meaning deep,
They speak of life,
To all who seek,
To all who search
For meaning
And hope,
To be loved,
To be cherished,
To bear a light yoke.

The words are simple,
The words are true,
The creator of the world,
Loves and gave his life for you.

The words are simple,
To all they speak
To those who are rejected,
Spurned or weak,
To those who bear
a heavy load,
Downtrodden
with cares, new and old,
To all to long to see the face,
Of our Saviour, Jesus
full of mercy and grace.

Gracious God, as we enter Holy week, we reflect on the last week of Jesus’ human life. He was initially welcomed in Jerusalem, then rejected, abandoned, mocked, cruelly tortured and left to die on the cross.

He knew all that would happen to him, yet kept focused on the will of God and his clear purpose on this earth. He remained the servant of all and prayed, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing”. (Luke 23:24 NIV).

Loving God, we praise you from the bottom of our heart, for Jesus, our good shepherd, our servant king, our Saviour who loves us so much that he willing sacrificed his life for us……we turn to him now and we offer you our thanks and the prayers of our hearts, in Jesus’ name.  Amen.

Ruth Rushworth

Jesus said ” Come to me all who are weary and burdened and I will give you rest.”

Matt 11:28 NIV

God is my dwelling place
When storms of life I face
I will not fear
His presence is near
My rock, my saving grace.

God is my dwelling place
In the good times and bad
He lifts me up
And fills my cup
I will rejoice and be glad.

God is my dwelling place
Both now and every day
Jesus is near
My Saviour dear
Full of love and grace.

Gracious God, we praise you that this special dwelling place is in and through the person of Jesus.  Thank you that you offer a place of nourishment, a place of security, a place of peace, a place of strength, a place of hope, and a place of transformation.

Indwelling God, draw us closer to you as we pray, and consider the truth of the words and teachings of Jesus. May we fix our gaze on Jesus and may we trust in your abiding love to guide and see us through every situation.

Loving God, we pray for all those carrying heavy physical, emotional or spiritual burdens that they may find a safe dwelling and rest in Jesus……

Transforming God,  thank you that we are your voice, your hands and your feet in this world.  Bless us with the desire, the will and the grace to live our lives in the way you intend, so that others may know the transforming love of Jesus in their lives. Amen.

Ruth Rushworth