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Psalm 18:28    New Living Translation
‘You light a lamp for me. The LORD, my God, lights up my darkness.’

Gracious God of Creation, on this Bank Holiday Monday we give thanks for the gift of the Sun which rises and sets as each new day dawns. We praise You for this fireball that radiates heat and light into our world, gives warmth to our oceans and seas, provides energy for the growth of plants, and oxygen to maintain life on Earth. Lord God, as human beings we know that we each need to feel ‘sunshine’ in our lives, the sunshine that comes from being loved, from being valued, from being accepted for who we are. Help us to be assured of Your love for us and help us to radiate warmth and light into the dark places of people lives, so that all may feel the presence of Your hope and Your compassion surrounding them this day, and in the days to come. In the name of Jesus, the Light of our World, we pray, Amen.

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Psalm 139: 9-10        (NRSV)

‘If I take the wings of the morning and settle at the farthest limits of the sea, even there your hand shall lead me, and your right hand shall hold me fast’.

As the weekend approaches, I share with you a beautiful poem to reflect upon in your quiet time with God, written by Margaret Langdon. Thank you Margaret.

FROM DEEP WITHIN
Out of the depths I cried to Thee
And wondered what the reply would be
” You are my child and I love you so
Did you think I would ever let you go?”

From deep within my spirit soared
What a wonderful, loving, caring Lord
But again the world pressed down on me
And I couldn’t rise to fly with Thee

Within the depths He filled the space
And wrapped me in His arms embrace
He carried me up into the light
It was a glorious radiant sight

Now I know that wherever I go
He’ll always be there and I’ll always know
That whatever happens deep within
He’ll raise me up to be with Him

by Margaret Langdon June 1st 2016

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Psalm 89:11        (ESV)

‘The heavens are yours; the earth also is yours; the world and all that is in it, you have founded them’.

Gracious God, as the Great British Spring Clean campaign begins tomorrow, we give You thanks for the community spaces that bring us pleasure; for parks and public gardens, canal pathways and riverside walks, beaches and coastal pathways. For all the places at which we glimpse the beauty of the natural world, we give You thanks. Lord God, we appreciate that these are shared spaces, spaces for which we all have responsibility for their protection and preservation. Sadly we see the scarring upon these places caused by abandoned litter and waste. Help us to do what we can to support schemes that seek to rid the environment of pollution in order to keep our communities green and litter free. Help us to be good stewards of the Earth that You have entrusted us to care for. For the beauty of the Earth, we give thanks. Amen.

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Psalm 145:1
‘I lift you high in praise, my God, O my King and I’ll bless your name into eternity’.

Gracious God, we come to You this morning with praise and thanks. When we take a moment to stop and look at the natural world You have created, we are overwhelmed by the wonder of your creation and amazed by the beauty of Your world. And so, we come before You, in awe and wonder at Your greatness.
Gracious God, we give thanks and praise for the gift of Your Son Jesus, who lived amongst us and continues to journey with us so that we can experience the embrace of your love, who accepts and forgives us simply for being who we are, and who invites us to share in a deep and meaningful relationship with You.
Gracious God, we give praise and thanks that through the power of Your Holy Spirit, You assure us of Your presence, You heal us with Your love and enable and equip us to be the people You would have us to be. In Your name we pray, God our Mother and Father, Son and Holy Spirit, Amen.

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Today on the first anniversary of the death of George Floyd, Churches Together in England invite us to take a moment to light a candle, pray for racial justice and commit to taking personal and institutional action to tackle racial injustice in our society and our churches.

John 13:34
“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another”.

O Lord, you are a God of justice – may we share your passion for justice, which can be seen throughout the Bible.
By the power of your Holy Spirit enable us to stand up for justice and stand against intolerance.
Thank you that you love each person, made in the image of God.
Change our hearts to see others as you do.
Allow our hearts to break over the sin of racism, and our lament to turn into righteous action.
Amen.

This prayer was written by CTBI’s Director of Inclusion Richard Reddie, and CTE’s Principal Officer for Pentecostal, Charismatic and Multi-cultural Relations Shermara Fletcher.

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Galatians 6:2
“Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.”

Gracious God, we come to You as a new week begins. As lockdown restrictions continue to lift, life seems to be moving forward once more. And yet we appreciate that there will be some who are ready and engaged to seize the opportunities that more freedom gives them. There will be some who are moving forward cautiously, whilst there will be those, who for whatever reason,  are still feeling unsure and insecure. Lord God, we have all made different journeys throughout the pandemic. It has effected and continues to effect us in many different ways. So today we pray for the unity and assurance that we find in You. We pray for the peace in our hearts and minds that comes from being cared for by You. We pray for the strength that comes from being guided by You. Help us to continue to nurture and care for one another so that no-one in our communities feels that they are making this journey out of lockdown, on their own. May Your love fill the very heart of all communities and unite us this day and in the days to come. Amen.

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Romans 12:13
“When God’s people are in need, be ready to help them. Always be eager to practice hospitality.”

Gracious God, as the weekend approaches at the end of a week when we have seen restrictions lifted on restaurants, cafes,  public houses and hotels, we give thanks for the gift of hospitality. We appreciate that these have been incredibly difficult times for all those connected to the hospitality industry, as their livelihoods have been effected by the pandemic. We pray for all those opening their doors again and give thanks for the welcome they will provide in our communities to the many folks who have felt isolated from human contact over the past months. We pray for the health of our economy as businesses begin re-trading. We pray especially for all those who sadly have lost their employment or businesses, and pray that new opportunities will arise for them in the coming days. In the meantime, may we as communities support and offer hospitality to those in need at this time. In the name of Jesus we pray, Amen.

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1 Peter 5:7      ESV
‘Casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you’.

Gracious God, it may be many Thursdays ago since we clapped for our NHS workers and yet we know that they remain under enormous pressure as they try to deal with the backlog of appointments and procedures, that have been delayed during the pandemic. And so this morning, we pray for all administrators working to ensure all necessary appointments and treatments are carried out. We pray for healthcare professionals who continue to give of themselves and work long hours to care for the needs of our nation. And so too, we lift before You all those who anxiously await appointments. Lord God, may Your presence and healing power continue to be felt in our homes and in all medical institutions, now and in the days ahead. In the name of Jesus we pray, Amen.

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Genesis 1:11
Then God said, “Let the land produce vegetation: seed-bearing plants and trees on the land that bear fruit with seed in it, according to their various kinds.” And it was so.

Gracious God, as we read in the news of plans concerning the future of Farmers, we pray this morning for all those who tend the land to ensure we have a variety of wholesome and healthy foods to eat and and drink. As we see fresh crops slowly emerging from the soil, and the birth of livestock, we give thanks for the wonder of creation, for the cycle of new life and growth. Lord God, we appreciate that Farming is a complex process, beholden to weather conditions and economic, ecological and political climates, and so we pray that Your presence will be felt in the whole Farming community. May they feel valued and cared for and may we in return appreciate and share the food we are provided with. So too, we pray for Farmers in poorer countries struggling with the effects of climate change and lack of resources. We give thanks for the work of charities such as Christian Aid and All We Can. May we do everything we can to support and sustain the livelihoods of our brothers and sisters overseas, who rely upon the land for their well-being. In the name of Jesus we pray, Amen.

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Matthew 25:40
‘The King will answer and say to them, ‘Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me.’

Gracious God, as Princess Anne launches a charity to provide respite for carers, we lift before You and give thanks for those who care for others. We appreciate that the love and care given often comes at a cost to the giver, as they put aside their own needs in order to ensure that the person in their care is loved and nurtured. We acknowledge particularly those who care for Dementia sufferers during this week of Dementia Awareness. Lord God, You taught us that rest and relaxation are important to our mental and physical well-being. And so, help us as society to ensure that the carers in our communities receive the support, encouragement and empathy that they richly deserve. May opportunities be provided for rest and relaxation, and may all carers feel the assurance and power of Your presence with them in their homes. In Jesus name we pray, Amen.