Remind me each morning of your constant love, for I put my trust in You. My prayers go up to You; show me the way I should go.
Ps 143:8 GNT
In the sparkle and the glitter
In the tinsel and the clutter
Jesus is here
In the calm in the panic
In the busy and the quiet
Jesus is here
In the streets and the shops
In the valleys and mountain tops
Jesus is here
In the workplace and in homes
In hospitals and schools
Jesus is here
In the darkness of the night
And in the brightness of the day
Jesus is here
In my heart and in my mind
In my life and at my side
Jesus is here
Jesus, You are always with us, your love is all around us. At this time of year when stress may build up and life can be challenging in so many different ways, we take a step back, to collect our thoughts and to ground ourselves in your unfailing love…..
Gracious God, we thank You for your grace in Jesus and the leading of your Holy Spirit.
We come to you with open hearts and hands to receive your wonderful and timeless gifts of love and grace. Open our eyes to the needs of those around us and lead us in ways of love, kindness and compassion that all may know “Jesus is here.” Amen
Ruth Rushworth
Previous Reflections
Your Love
Gracious God, we lift before you this morning, all those affected by the sad events unfolding in our care homes. We pray for families grieving the loss of loved ones. We pray especially for all staff committed to caring for others in such difficult circumstances and we give thanks for their compassion and selfless giving. We pray too for all those lovingly caring for others in their homes, be they family members or professional carers. We pray for an outpouring of Your love wherever people reside, a love that brings strength and courage and assurance to those who need it most this day. And so too Lord, we ask that you will be with each and everyone of us throughout this day, and may we too feel the peace of your presence in our hearts, Amen.
Silence for Keyworkers
God of Grace, we will keep silence this morning, for all those Key Workers who have died on the front line, saving others. We are thankful for their skill and selfless giving, may they rest in the peace of your eternal presence. But so too, we acknowledge the sorrow and the grief of their loved ones. And so this morning, we ask you to comfort and heal our nation Lord, may your presence be felt and give courage, hope and strength in the days ahead. Amen.
Be Devoted to One Another in Love
John 12:10 says “Be devoted to one another in love. Honour one another above yourselves.”
Gracious God, we lift before you this morning, all those involved in charitable giving; Those who couldn’t run the London Marathon yesterday but ran round their homes, all the Scouts who could not march on St George’s Day, but are walking a mile to create a united walk to the moon. Lord God, we know that many people rely on the work of charitable organisations, who at the moment are struggling to raise funds because of the lockdown. We thank you for those who continue to find creative ways of tackling this problem, for those who continue to donate and for all the charitable organisations who continue to strive to find a way forward. Please bless the witness of all those people who give so that others might live knowing they are loved, valued and cared for. Amen.
Mental and Spiritual Well-being
Gracious God, we lift before you this morning all those for whom lock-down threatens their very well-being, both mentally and spiritually, for those already suffering from anxiety and depression who will be feeling overwhelmed in the current climate.
God of healing, may your presence be felt by those suffering, in any way, from mental health issues at this time. We pray for a sense of peace and calm for all those in need. We pray for conversation for those in need of reassurance. So too, we pray for all those agencies and charities seeking to offer support in difficult circumstances. You are our God. May we live in the power of Your strength today. Amen.
Love our Neighbour
Lord Jesus Christ, you taught us to love our neighbour, and to care for those in need as if we were caring for you.
Merciful God, we entrust to your tender care those who are ill or in pain, knowing that whenever danger threatens, your everlasting arms are there to hold them safe. Comfort and strengthen them and may they feel the assurance of your presence with them.
Gracious God, give skill, sympathy and resilience to all who are caring for the sick, and your wisdom to those searching for a cure. Strengthen them with your Spirit, that through their work many will be restored to health.
Creator God, help us to trust you, help us to know that you are with us, and help us to believe that nothing can separate us from your love revealed in Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Through Christ
Lord of Love, it is good to come to You and remember that we do not face anything in our strength alone, but with You walking alongside us. Through the Power of Your Holy Spirit, you give us the courage and the strength to face the challenges set before us. You give us the courage to continue to serve you and others. So teach us to let go of any fears and doubts and to place our trust in You, throughout this day and always, Amen.
All We Can
God of Grace, as we are reminded this morning of this text by the Methodist Charity ‘All We Can’, we lift before you all those charities who are affected by the implications of the virus. We pray that pathways will be forged to ensure that the most vulnerable continue to receive the support they need. We thank you too for all those people who are doing whatever they can to raise much needed funds to assist the NHS and those in need of financial support. May we all continue to support this work as a people united and strengthened by Your Holy Spirit. Amen.
Receive the Holy Spirit
In John 20:22 we read ‘Receive the Holy Spirit’.
Gracious God, thank you for sending the power of your Holy Spirit into our lives to inspire and challenge and equip us to live our lives in glory to you. Help us to see your power in action as we witness great acts of love and self-giving across our nation and our world. At the start of a new week of lockdown, we ask that you give courage and strength to all those who will once more step onto the front line, in order that others may stay safe. May they feel the Power of the Cross. Bless us today Lord, and those we love. In the name of Jesus, Amen.
Light of the World
God of the resurrection, we thank you for the beautiful sunshine that has lifted our spirits this week amongst the sadness of events in our world.
As we have seen the sun shine and felt its warmth we are reminded that You sent Jesus into our world to bring light and warmth into our lives. And so we give thanks this morning for Your love that we witness through Jesus, a love that will always warm our hearts, and may we too seek to witness to that love and share it with other people.
In John 8:12, Jesus says, ‘I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life’. Help us to fix our eyes upon that light, in the day ahead.
Amen.
