Evening prayer Wednesday, 29 July 2020
Lifeline
By Abimbola T. Alabi
Prayer is the breath
That revives my soul.
Prayer is the balm
That makes my spirit whole.
Prayer is my path
Into the realm up above.
Prayer is the wave
That fills my heart with love.
Prayer is the key
That opens the bolted door.
It is the battle plan
When I find myself at war.
Prayer is the gift
That I send a distant friend.
It’s prayer, the lifeline
I will use right to the end.
Good evening and welcome to Evening Prayers
That this evening may be holy, good and peaceful,
let us pray with one heart and mind.
Silence is kept.
As our evening prayer rises before you, O God,
so may your mercy come down upon us
to cleanse our hearts
and set us free to sing your praise
now and for ever.
When our faith is weak
you strengthen us,
when we lose our way
you rescue us,
when we fall into sin
you forgive us.
Gracious Father,
please remind us
as we forget,
that your love is
unconditional,
always moulding us
into what we could be,
always blessing us
that we might glorify you.
For love,
grace
and forgiveness,
we thank you.
Amen
Presence
I remind myself that, as I sit here now,
God is gazing on me with love and holding me in being.
I pause for a moment and think of this.
Freedom
I try to let go of any prejudices and narrow mindedness
That may be clouding my vision at this present moment.
I hand them over to God’s merciful care,
So I can pray in freedom at this time.
Consciousness
In the presence of my loving Creator,
I look honestly at my feelings over the last day,
the highs, the lows and the level ground.
Can I see where the Lord has been present?
THE WORD OF GOD
Matthew 13:47-53
‘Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was thrown into the sea and caught fish of every kind; when it was full, they drew it ashore, sat down, and put the good into baskets but threw out the bad.
So it will be at the end of the age.
The angels will come out and separate the evil from the righteous and throw them into the furnace of fire, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
‘Have you understood all this?’ They answered, ‘Yes.’
And he said to them, ‘Therefore every scribe who has been trained for the kingdom of heaven is like the master of a household who brings out of his treasure what is new and what is old.’
When Jesus had finished these parables, he left that place.
WORDS OF WISDOM
Most gracious and loving God,
I don’t know what to do.
I am filled with anxiety, fear, and worry.
These feelings have taken over me,
and I can no longer control them.
Help.
I can’t keep living like this anymore.
It’s not living.
I feel paralyzed, trapped, with no way out.
Help me find a way out of my anxiety, fear, and worry.
As I say this prayer, I realize that I have been pushing you away,
along with pushing away your love, and your peace.
I’ve allowed these thoughts of anxiety, fear, and worry to take control.
I forgot what your Word says, that there is no fear in love,
and that perfect love casts out fear.
I forgot that your love for me is perfect.
You love me just as I am, and especially
when I am anxious, fearful, and worried.
I forgot that love never fails.
All of this anxiety, fear, and worry has blocked your peace
that surpasses all understanding.
I choose to surrender this anxiety, fear, and worry to you.
Right now, I will just sit and be still in your presence.
I welcome your loving, healing presence beside me and within me.
Fill me with your peace.
Fill me with your love.
Cast out my anxiety, fear, and worry.
Whenever anxious, fearful, and worried thoughts return,
I will tell them to, “be still – hush!”
I will focus instead on your loving,
peaceful presence leading me and guiding me.
I will remember that you are always with me.
So, I will trust you more.
PRAYERS & INTERCESSIONS
We pray for the world…
Lord, in your mercy hear our prayer.
We pray for the universal church of Christ…
Lord, in your mercy hear our prayer.
We pray for one another and all those known to us…
Lord, in your mercy hear our prayer.
The Lord’s prayer
As our Saviour taught us, so we pray
Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins
as we forgive those who sin against us.
Lead us not into temptation
but deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power,
and the glory are yours
now and for ever.
Amen
Calm me, O Lord, as You stilled the storm.
Still me, O Lord, keep me from harm.
Let all the tumult within me cease.
Enfold me, Lord, in Your peace.
I will lie down this night with God,
and God will lie down with me;
I will lie down this night with Christ,
and Christ will lie down with me;
I will lie down this night with the Spirit,
and the Spirit will lie down with me;
God and Christ and the Spirit,
be lying down with me.
Amen
Thank you for joining us. Good night and God bless…by the grace of God tomorrow will be another day.
Revd. Ernesto Lozada-Uzuriaga
