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18. The Language of Love (pt1)

Wednesday 6th March 

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(for more details see here)

 

Pause:

"Lord, teach us to pray where prayer is breath
We pause
And in the pausing
Know that you were always there
Breathe deep
My soul
The air of His presence
Will not run out
This breathing underwater
Not from tank or tube
But with new lungs designed by Him to inhale love

Don't gasp and grasp
This drowning is not death but life
The job you made of breathing by yourself,
Of quickly gulping pockets of fresh air
Is done

Be still
Be still, my soul, and know that he is God
And you are not
He does not need your conjuring or your pleading
To be there
He is the air
In which you live 
To know Him
Really know Him
And to make connection with the source
That came
And moved into our space, our time

Now that is breathing, that is life
Connect and learn
And in your learning
Grow and act and move and be
And taking notice of the things you see
Of those around you who can't breathe
Give life and breath
as freely as received
Breathe deep my soul breathe daily, hourly, often pause
and so together say
Lord teach us to pray..."

RUTH RICE (Slow down, Show up and Pray)

 

Today's reading: John 17. 1-5

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After Jesus said this, He looked toward heaven and prayed:
“Father, the hour has come. Glorify Your Son, that Your Son may glorify You.
For You granted Him authority over all people that He might give eternal life to all those you have given Him.
Now this is eternal life: that they know You, the Only True God, and Jesus Christ, whom You have sent.
I have brought You glory on earth by finishing the work You gave me to do.
And now, Father, glorify me in Your presence with the glory I had with You before the world began."
JOHN 17. 1-5
If you knew you had one day left to live... what would you pray for?

Here in John 17 we listen as Jesus, with His eyes lifted towards the heavens, prays to His Father in heaven. And what a profoundly beautiful prayer.

This chapter is often called: The High Priestly Prayer as Jesus cries out prayer for Himself, His disciples and for those who will come to believe in Him through their message! We're going to spend the next few days exploring this incredible prayer of our Lord.

- Praying for ourselves... 
Jesus here is once again modelling how to pray... and as part of that - He prays for Himself! Which means I can confidently state: "It's ok to pray for yourself!It's not selfish, or self-serving, or self-righteousness. Jesus did - and so should we.

But it's interesting to note what it is that Jesus prays for when He prays for Himself. Faced with the prospect of excruciating physical, emotional and spiritual turmoil - Jesus prays that He might glorify God the Father. 

Which makes me wonder - when did I last genuinely pray for God to be glorified in me?

 

Reflection: A Life that Glorifies God

"I have brought You glory on earth by finishing the work You gave me to do."

"I AM YOUR STRENGTH AND YOUR SHIELD. I continually work-sometimes in wondrous ways to invigorate you and protect you. The more fully you trust in Me, the more your heart can leap for Joy!

I want you to trust Me wholeheartedly-resting in My sovereign control over the universe. When circumstances seem to be spinning out of control, grab onto Me, believing that I know what I'm doing. I orchestrate every event of your life to benefit you in this world and the next.

While you are in the throes of adversity, your greatest challenge is to keep on trusting that I am both sovereign and good. Do not expect to understand My ways; for as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways and thoughts higher than yours. When you respond to trouble with thanksgiving convinced that I can bring good out of the most difficult situations  -I am pleased. This act of faith encourages you and glorifies Me. I rejoice when My struggling children give thanks to Me in song!

"The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and I am helped. My heart leaps for joy and I will give thanks to him in song." (PSALM 28:7)

SARAH YOUNG (Jesus Calling)

 

Questions for today:

  • Father, how can my trusting obedience bring You glory on earth today?
 

Prayer:


How lovely is your dwelling place?
His dwelling place
'Your glory fills the whole earth'
Yes, the whole earth
You dwell in ocean depth
and mountain height
in fragrant flowers
and eagle flight
in tiny bugs
and vast blue skies
How lovely
His dwelling place?

We 'are being built together into a dwelling place for God'
The church
His choice of dwelling place
Cement between the cracks
In varied personalities
Choosing to share
To work, to care
To love
In all its crazy forms
Regardless of our preference
And complaint
He dwells in us together And we are made for this Edifice of brokenness
Not all harmonious bliss
In meetings and in silence From mud stuck to free
In contention and compassion How lovely
His dwelling place
He 'dwells in you' by His Spirit
You, the other
Yes, I see His glory
His presence
Reflected in your eyes
You - His love, His joy, His prize
His beauty in the smallest hint of hope
The bravest acts of courage
In sharing how you cope
In shared spaces where
Each I meet shows signs Of the Master's hand Masterpiece-making
How lovely
His dwelling place

'It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me'
Me
His dwelling place
Lovely?
Now, that's a stretch For mind and heart
Where shall I start
To realize that I am lovely too In my skin
The skin he is in
I choose to live this day
And tend the beauty
As I would his earth, His church, the other
To be as careful with myself
My body, mind and spirit
As I hoped to be with nature's best,
My family and the church
My life
His dwelling place
My thoughts
My feelings
My cheers and cries
My choices
His life in me
His dwelling place
How lovely
Statement not question
His words
His time
His dwelling place
The earth, the church, Your life and mine
How lovely!
RUTH RICE (Slow up, Show up and Pray)

 I prayed this.

My prayer for today: (if you would like to, please feel free to add your own prayer here):


 


Glenys
Hello and welcome to our church. If you are a new visitor, we have a page for you to get to know us and learn more about planning a visit.
Click here to see more.

Planning your Visit

A Warm Hello 

 

Where and When

The church is open for activities throughout the week but if you are just seeking us out it is likely that you will want to come and be a part of our Sunday worship which is core to what we are about.
We meet in the main church building (details here) at 10:30 each week. See our calendar to find out plans for the next few weeks.

Accessibility

There is wheelchair access and a sound loop for anyone who needs it. Please let one of the Welcome Team know on your arrival and they will help you to get set up. There are disabled toilets in the main foyer and church lounge.

Our Sunday Services


Sunday morning services are structured but informal. They include a mix of both contemporary and traditional worship songs and hymns, prayers, readings from the Bible and a sermon that unpacks this. Occasionally we will also have specific updates about ways that God has been working through and in people and activities. Once a month we celebrate communion as part of the service. The last Sunday of the month is usually an Altogether Service when all ages are all together in one place for a more relaxed and activity based time of worship.

We aim to finish at about 11.45 to Midday when we serve free tea, coffee and cold drinks. This is a great opportunity to get to meet people.

Sunday Evening services, either in person or online, tend to be shorter and more reflective and are an opportunity to dig a little deeper into our relationship with God.
 

What about the children and youth?

We have a great programme for children of all ages, for more information about what happens please visit our Children and Youth page.

Getting Connected

 

Small Groups

It is often in smaller gatherings that we can really get to know other people. Being part of one of our small groups allows you to make new friends, share together and support each other. We have a variety of groups that meet throughout the week, some in the afternoon and some in the evening either in the church, in peoples’ homes or online    .
If you are interested in joining a Small Group, let us know and we can put you in touch with the small group coordinator who will be more than happy to find a group that is convenient for you and introduce you to the group leader.

Get Involved

There are plenty of opportunities to get involved with the life of our church. If you'd like to find out more, please let us know.

Get in touch with us to plan your visit
If you would like to discuss anything before you visit the church, get in touch and we can arrange a time to chat with you.
 
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