Previous Reflections

May the God of peace equip you with everything good to do his will.
Hebrews 13:20-21 NIV

To you o Lord we lift our gaze.
To you o Lord we sing our praise.

You lead us gently forward,
Into your precious light,
To a place you have prepared for us,
For when the timing is perfect and right.
You bring us to a place,
Beyond our hopes and dreams,
A place of love and service,
Of peace, not of natural means.

You provide us with all we need,
blessings, gifts and skills,
Perfectly suited to each one of us,
To our hearts, our minds, our wills.
You equip us so completely,
With all that we require,
As we step out we need not fear,
For Jesus is our rock, our strength, our tower.

Whenever you may call us,
Wherever you may lead,
By your grace may we follow,
In thought and word and deed.

To you O Lord we lift our gaze.
To you o Lord we sing our praise.

Gracious God, we praise you for and reflect on your guidance and provision in our lives. We thank you that you have brought us safely to this new day.
May our lives be an open canvas for you to paint your words of love. May we be sensitive to and follow the nudging of your Holy Spirit in all things, big and small, that the love Jesus has for each of us be known and shared in our lives. Amen

Ruth Rushworth

“Come, follow me” Jesus said.
Matt 4:19 NIV
Loving God, we still and quieten our minds before you and thank you for your presence here with us. We praise you for Jesus and that you, loving God, invite us to follow him.
As we look at the picture, we imagine ourselves in this account in Matthew’s Gospel of Jesus calling his disciples. We consider what it meant to them to follow Jesus:-

As Jesus was walking beside the sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew.  They were casting a net into the lake for they were fishermen.  “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people.”  At once, they left their nets and followed him.
Matt 4: 18-20 NIV

We reflect – Jesus came to seek them out. He knew them by name, he called to them and they followed him.  As they stayed close to him, he taught them and lived out the life of the kingdom of God.  They saw him retreat to quiet places to pray, they saw him love and serve others in miraculous ways and be obedient to the will of God. And they followed him…

Loving, gracious God, we praise you for your love in Jesus; the love that seeks us out and draws us daily to you. We reflect too on Jesus’ calling on our lives to come just as we are and follow him….
May we follow wherever you lead, in love, trust and obedience, for Jesus sake.  Amen.

Ruth Rushworth

If I ride on the wings of the dawn if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me your right hand will hold me fast.

Ps 139: 9-10 NIV

Loving God, we praise you that, wherever we go, we can never travel beyond the reaches of your love, care and guidance; neither the highest mountain, nor the deepest ocean can separate us from your all-encompassing love in Christ Jesus.

Whatever our situation, whatever we have done, or however we feel, we are never in a place that is beyond the reaches of your redemptive love.

Merciful God, when we turn to you through Jesus, you are there, running to meet us, arms wide open to welcome us into your presence, with joy, love, mercy and forgiveness. (Luke 11)

And so, wherever we are, we come to you afresh this day. In the stillness of this moment, we praise you. Help us to share what is on our heart with you and listen to anything you may say to us. May we live this day to the full, trusting in your guiding presence with us and in the quiet confidence of being secure in your love, for Jesus sake. Amen.

Ruth Rushworth

The Lord is my light and my salvation.

Ps 27:1 NIV

Gracious God, we praise you for Jesus, light of the world and for your mighty love and power that raised him from the tomb.

May the light of Jesus break through the darkness and bring hope to difficult situations.

May the light of Jesus shine in our lives and help us to share our faith.

May the love of Jesus help us to act with compassion and care.

May the life of Jesus help us to work with strength and courage.

May the sacrifice of Jesus help us to serve with grace and humility.

May the prayers of Jesus help us to pray and live in line with God’s good and perfect will.

May the joy and peace of Jesus be in our hearts, homes and communities.

Gracious God, you know our hearts and we bring our praise and prayers before you now, in the name of Jesus, light of the world. Amen

Ruth Rusworth

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 coolness and calm of your presence.

Loving God, we raise our hearts and minds in prayer and praise to you. We praise you and thank you for our world, the work of your loving hand. We praise you that it reflects your majesty and power, your purity and clarity, your light and radiance, your peace and calm, your goodness and your infinite love for us. Help us Lord to care for it.

Loving God, sometimes, your voice gets lost among the clamour and demands of the day, the tasks, the deadlines, the expectations or the worries and cares of our lives. If today is a difficult day for us 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

The Lord is near to all who call on him…
Psalm 145:18 NIV

Gracious God, we look on this cross, fashioned from old church pews, seasoned with prayers and praise offered to you Lord over many years.

The wood is polished and smooth and the cross fits snugly in our hand; a reminder that you smooth our rough corners, you hold us closely in the palm of your hand and you will never let us go, never leave us nor forsake us.

As we imagine holding the cross, we think of the sacrifice Jesus made for us and his living presence with us each and every day. In times of difficulty, or when we cannot find words to pray, may it bring a measure of your peace, courage, comfort, and hope.

Gracious God, as we pray we look at this cross, and in our mind we place it in the hand of anyone we know in need of your loving care today. We lift them before you and ask for your blessing in the name of Jesus our Saviour. Amen.

Ruth Rushworth

The punishment that brought us peace was on him and by his wounds we are healed.
Isaiah 53:5 NIV

Gracious God, as we look at the picture of three crosses, we remember that two criminals were crucified alongside Jesus. One mocked Jesus, but the other turned to Him and asked to be remembered in His kingdom. Jesus answered him “Truly I tell you, this day you will be with me in paradise” (Luke:23:43).

Gracious God we praise and thank you that your word and your truth assure us that we are forgiven. May to know and embrace this truth in our heart and mind. Help us to extend to others the mercy and forgiveness we have in you, for Jesus sake. Amen.

Jesus, Lord, my God and King
Praise and worship to you I bring,
I am loved and held secure
In your arms for evermore.

Ruth Rushworth

LOVE IN ACTION James 1:17 NCV

Everything that’s good
comes from God alone.
Without His gifts and acts of love
we might become like stone.
But when we see and realise
good gifts and actions too
Come from a never changing God,
and not out of the blue,
Then we are challenged from within
to emulate His love,
To leave the shadows,
do good works and serve.
Unlike things created,
God will never alter.
He goes on giving perfect gifts.
His love will never falter.

Margaret Langdon 2020

For God so loved the world, that He gave his one and only son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

John 3:16 NIV

As we look at the empty cross, we sit quietly and reflect on Jesus. We reflect on the love that came down to earth from heaven, the love that stands in the centre of time and exchanged all of our sins for His righteousness, forgiveness and peace with God. Thank you merciful God that, believing in Jesus, we receive new and eternal life; life in all the fulness of God.

Touch my heart O God divine.
Touch my heart and make it shine
Clear and bright, with love sublime.
Touch my heart and may I be
Pure, whole and committed to thee.

Touch my heart with love divine,
Touch my heart and make it thine.
Touch my heart, may I thee adore
In love and praise for evermore.

Loving, merciful God, we praise you.

Amen.

Ruth Rushworth

…The Lord says: “stand at the crossroads and look; ask for the ancient paths, ask where the good way is, and walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls”…. Jer 6:16 NIV

Gracious God, our Creator and our Saviour, we take a moment to lift our eyes up to you and we praise you for who you are.

We thank you that you are always on hand to help and lead us through any situation or decision. Thank you that you might guide us through the wisdom of others; as we read your word in the Bible; in our circumstances and by the still, small voice of your Spirit in our hearts.

Help us to recognise your will and your voice in our lives. Remind us that when you call us, you equip us. As we step out in your name, we do not step out alone, but we stand on the steadfast, supporting arms of your son Jesus.

Jesus Lord my strength, my heart,
I desire to follow you;
Yet the path seems uncertain,
Which way do I turn?
So many choices are before me
All beckoning, calling my name.

Come to me Lord,
my strength, my heart,
Reveal your love and your way.
Teach me pray,
To seek your will,
Draw me closer day by day.

I praise you Lord,
my strength my heart,
You will never abandoned me.
You direct, you guide,
Love, care and provide,
Your grace is sufficient and free.

Gracious God, we praise you. Help us to trust in your love and guidance throughout our lives, for Jesus sake. Amen.

Ruth Rushworth

Gracious God, we praise you that your goodness and your mercy follows us, all our life; we do not need to pursue you or chase after you, for you are never far from us, your love is constantly seeking us out and drawing us close to you. You bring us to safe pastures and to a place of peace, belonging, trust and security with you, both now and forever.

Gracious God, we praise you for your presence in our lives and we thank you for your many blessings. As we consider our blessings today, may we have hearts of gratitude and thankfulness for all you have provided for us. May we also remember to thank those who bless our lives each day. And may we show the goodness and mercy of Jesus to those around us. Amen.

Ruth Rushworth

(Jesus said) “I am the gate. Whoever enters by me will be saved, and will come in and go out and find new pasture. I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.”

John 10: 9-10 NRSV

Emmanuel, God with us, as we sit, we invite you to sit with us. We praise you for Jesus who came into our broken world, and through his sacrifice on the cross flung open the gates of heaven to all who call on his name. We praise you that Jesus is here in our midst and loves and accepts us just as we are. We reflect on these familiar, yet awesome words of truth and love and we praise you.

We thank you for your eternal love that transforms us and sends us out to pray, act and share your love with a hurting world. Thank you that we do not face this task alone, but we are part of a community, a family of believers in Jesus. Thank you that you send your Holy Spirit to guide us, that we might pray and work, not on our own, but through your might, your power and your strength.

Emmanuel, God with us, we praise you, we worship you, we thank you for your wondrous love for all people.

Ruth Rushworth