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John 14:27       New International Version
‘Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid’.

Gracious God, as we acknowledge the International Day of Peace which was marked by the United Nations yesterday, we pray for all those in the midst of violence and conflict. Lord, we know that we live in a world where many suffer through the impact of war and conflict in different settings and situations. Too often, what we see and hear makes us feel sad and powerless to help, but we acknowledge that it makes You sad too, and that You are a God who feels the suffering of Your people. And so we come to You in prayer. We pray that Nations and World Leaders may unite to bring about peace across our world. We pray that in the midst of conflict and destruction, Your light will shine into the darkness. We pray for those whose voices are silenced, for whom hope has disappeared. And finally Lord God, we pray that you will help us and guide us to strive for justice, so that the voices of all people are heard. God of peace, may we unite as communities to bring Your justice, love, hope and peace into our world this day, and in the days to come. In the name of Jesus, the Prince of Peace we pray, Amen.

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At the start of a new week, here is a short prayer and then we have a reflection based on Jeremiah 29, verse 11 written by Margaret Langdon

Gracious God, as we begin a new week we turn to You for guidance and assurance. Whatever challenges we may face in the week ahead, whatever highs or lows, we trust that You are with us and so we thank you for Your great love for us. In the name of Jesus we pray,  Amen.

Jeremiah 29:11               New International Version
“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future”.

Is The Future Only Tomorrow?

I’ve looked before at the Master Planner
Who knows just what I need
He has plans to prosper me
Which quite often I don’t heed

You see, the trouble really is
That I don’t trust enough
He knows the plan and I do not
That’s what is really tough

He speaks of plans to give me hope
But I need a more concrete goal
This hope is all planned out by him
But I can’t see the whole

When I go off just on my own
The future is in my hand
I don’t have the long term vision
So I miss the best he planned

The biggest question I still find
Is how will I know his plan,
Trust his vision, hear his voice ,
Rely on God not Man?

Maybe his future is not long term
Maybe it’s just one day
He has made a plan, trust in Him,
Step out with him, and say…

Whatever you have planned for me
I know you want me to thrive
You won’t harm me, you’ll give me hope
And that’s how I should live my life

So don’t worry too much about hearing his voice
And whether his plans you’ll know
Just trust in Him, use your gifts,
And confidently greet tomorrow

Margaret Langdon June2020

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Psalm 67:6
‘The earth has yielded its produce; God, our God, blesses us.

Gracious God, as the sun has shone this week on farmers harvesting the last of the wheat fields, and Churches and Schools begin to prepare to celebrate Harvest Festival services, we give thanks for the gifts of Your creation. We give thanks especially for all those who cultivate the land to ensure we have enough food to eat. So too, we give thanks for all those involved with food production from the fields, to the supermarket shelves. We acknowledge Lord God, that not everyone in our communities has enough to eat and we offer our support for the work of Food banks and other agencies. So too, we recognise that the effects of climate change are creating more and more challenges for farmers across the world, particularly those in poorer countries. And so we lift before You charities such as ‘All we Can’ and Christian Aid. Help those of us who have plenty to hear the voices of those who have less, and may we find ever resourceful ways to share what we have, so that all may benefit from the fruits of Your creation. In Jesus name we pray, Amen.

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Psalm 133:1      NIV
‘How good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity!’

Gracious God, as we mark the United Nations International Friendship Day, we give thanks for the gift of friendship. We acknowledge that inequality, discrimination and conflict damage the very core of unity, peace and the wellbeing of others in society. And yet You sent Your Son, Jesus Christ, to teach us to witness to the gifts of Your Holy Spirit; kindness, love, compassion, patience, understanding and wisdom. And so we take a moment to give thanks for our friends, the people who make us smile, who stand by us when times are difficult and make us feel loved and valued. Then we take a moment to think about those in need of the hand of friendship, who may be feeling lonely and isolated today. Lord God, help us to nurture relationships and may the gift of friendship be at the very heart of our communities, both at home and across our world. In the name of Jesus, our friend and living Lord we pray, Amen.

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Genesis 1:21          ESV

‘So God created the great sea creatures and every living creature that moves, with which the waters swarm, according to their kinds, and every winged bird according to its kind. And God saw that it was good’.

Gracious God, we come to you today to give thanks and praise as we celebrate the amazing animal kingdom that You have created, a Kingdom of diversity, colour, pattern, beauty and imagination. From the tiny shrew to the blue whale, for the speed of the cheetah, the strength of the elephant, the agility of the gazelle and the gracefulness of the swan, we give you thanks. Lord God, You have entrusted us to care for Your animal kingdom but sadly we have not always fulfilled this responsibility. We give thanks and ask for Your blessing upon all conservation organisations who seek to alert us to the plight of endangered species. We think especially of the tiger, a stunning, majestic beast of power, yet whose existence is endangered, as Global Tiger Day is marked today. We think of the bee, a vital part of our food chain, yet in real danger of extinction, as a national campaign is launched this weekend to protect its future. Two creatures, so awesomely different and yet both an integral part of our world. And so today, we stop to reflect upon the majesty of Your animal kingdom with awe and wonder, with a commitment to do what we can to protect it, and we give thanks. Amen.

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Mark 12:31        ESV
The second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.

Gracious God, as the Government launch their National Disability Strategy, we pray that it will make a difference to those living with disability in any form. We pray that improvements will be made in regards to the availability of accessible housing, support for children with special educational needs, and employment opportunities. Lord Jesus, You taught us to tear down boundaries and to campaign for equality and respect for all people. Help us to build communities that are inclusive, where all are made to feel welcome and all are valued. We pray especially for anyone for whom today will be a struggle or a challenge because of their current living situation. So too, we pray for all athletes preparing to travel to Tokyo for the Paralympic games in August, who will inspire and encourage us with their dedication, skill and courage. Lord God, inspire and encourage us to promote unity and equality today and in the days to come, so that all people may know they are truly loved by You. Amen.

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Psalm 37:3         NIV
“Trust in the Lord and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture”.

A week on from ‘Freedom Day’, we reflect upon words of both challenge and assurance by Margaret Langdon. Thank you Margaret.

Freedom what’s that?
Free to grow, but rooted to the ground
Free to set seed, but dying to nurture it

Free to increase in size, but in danger of falling
Free to spread, but pruned to create order

Free to blossom, but needing the sun
Free to stand tall, but needing the rain

Is freedom a dependent state?
Our freedom is dependency on God

In growing we need to be rooted in Him
In producing seed we need to die to self

In increasing our territory we need to have good foundations
In enlarging our range we need to be pruned to cope

We blossom in the light of God
We stand tall in the rain of his promises

Yes, freedom in God is dependence on Him
Without that we are a dry uprooted tumbleweed

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Ephesians 4:3   NIV
‘Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace’.

Gracious God, today we give thanks for the joy of sport and pray for all those gathered for the Olympic games as the opening ceremony takes place. We pray for the athletes and their coaches who have spent countless hours in training, perfecting their skills, their strength and their endurance. We pray for their families, unable to travel to Tokyo to support their loved ones because of Covid. We pray for all the adjudicators and marshalls who will ensure fair play. So too, we pray for all those behind the scenes involved in the logistics of the event, those looking after others through hospitality, administration or medical care. Lord God, we have already seen how some competitors have contracted covid and so we ask for Your safety and protection for all Olympians, and those gathered in the Olympic villages. We give thanks for the Olympic motto, ‘Stronger Together’. As countries across the world unite in the name of sport, may unity, mutual respect and compassion for one another be at the very core of global relationships. May Your love infiltrate every corner of our world. In the name of Jesus we pray, Amen.

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Ephesians 4:3   NIV
‘Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace’.

Gracious God, today we give thanks for the joy of sport and pray for all those gathered for the Olympic games as the opening ceremony takes place. We pray for the athletes and their coaches who have spent countless hours in training, perfecting their skills, their strength and their endurance. We pray for their families, unable to travel to Tokyo to support their loved ones because of Covid. We pray for all the adjudicators and marshalls who will ensure fair play. So too, we pray for all those behind the scenes involved in the logistics of the event, those looking after others through hospitality, administration or medical care. Lord God, we have already seen how some competitors have contracted covid and so we ask for Your safety and protection for all Olympians, and those gathered in the Olympic villages. We give thanks for the Olympic motto, ‘Stronger Together’. As countries across the world unite in the name of sport, may unity, mutual respect and compassion for one another be at the very core of global relationships. May Your love infiltrate every corner of our world. In the name of Jesus we pray, Amen.

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Gracious God, as we continue to journey through a very hot week, as temperatures continue to rise, we take some time out to simply spend time in Your presence and reflect upon words of scripture that encourage, and assure, and refresh our hearts and minds. For Your faithfulness to us, to You we give thanks this day, Amen.

Deuteronomy 33:12  NIV
“Let the beloved of the Lord rest secure in him, for he shields him all day long, and the one the Lord loves rests between his shoulders.”

Psalm 121 1-2  NIV
” I lift up my eyes to the mountains— where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth”.

Psalm 62:1-2   NIV
“Truly my soul finds rest in God; my salvation comes from him. Truly he is my rock and my salvation;  he is my fortress, I will never be shaken”.

John 15:9   NIV
“As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love”.