Daily Prayers Friday, 25 November 2022
Let us give thanks to the Lord for he is good; he has kept us secure through the terrors of the night and brought us safely to the morning! Good day to you all, my Cornerstone Friends on this day after Thanksgiving Day, sometimes known as black Friday. Such a strange custom to have adopted from America – where Thanksgiving is a 4-day national holiday, much more important than Christmas, which barely warrants one day off work. When the shops officially put out their Christmas wares and for those who have not made any money through the year, a chance to take their accounts out of the red and into the black. For me, yesterday was a day for being in touch with my family through the magic of Zoom and Facetime as they gather to share favourite foods after church in the morning. So today Will you please join me in giving thanks for family and all the joy we share, regardless of the miles between.
O Lord, our God, we give you thanks for the joy of family, regardless of where they may be – the warmth we share, the care they provide, the love without cost-counting in time of need. May we live our faith as Cornerstone family, taking our lead from you. In Jesus’ name we pray. AMEN
Some words of praise from Psalm 65:
Praise awaits you, our God, in Zion; to you our vows will be fulfilled.
You who answer prayer, to you all people come.
When we were overwhelmed by sins you forgave our transgressions.
Blessed are those you choose and bring near to live in your courts!
We are filled with the good things of your house, of your holy temple.
God our saviour you are the hope of all the ends of the earth and of the farthest seas
You formed the mountains by your power, having armed yourself with strength
You stilled the roaring of the waves and the turmoil of the nations.
The whole earth is filled with awe at your wonders.
Where morning dawns, where evening fades, you call forth songs of joy.
There are so many places where dawn and evening do not bring forth joy, especially if you have no clean water, no warmth, not enough to eat. Let’s hold them up to God today.
O Lord, our God, we raise to you the needs of people who have nothing to be thankful for: around Ukraine, laid waste through bombs and heedless destruction of shelter; throughout Somalia battling with drought and hunger in addition to war; throughout the UK, our own country, where poverty makes people cold and hungry and sick unto death. Gather them all under your wing as a hen gathers her chicks. Open our hearts to be generous in our bounty to those in greater need. In Christ’s name we pray.
AMEN
The psalmist continues:
You care for the land and water it; you enrich it abundantly: the streams of God are filled with water to provide the people with grain, for so you have ordained it. You drench its furrows and level its ridges; you soften it with showers and bless its crops.
You crown the year with your bounty and your carts overflow with abundance.
The grasslands of the wilderness overflow; the hills are clothed with gladness.
The meadows are covered with flocks and the valleys are mantled with grain; they shout for joy & sing.
We are moving into winter and its heavy rain, possibly snow, in a time of darkness. Winter is also when we need to preserve the falling water for the dry time to come. Next year’s Thanksgiving will depend on it. As we look back on plenty we need to look forward in preparation and care for the good earth which itself renews our life with abundance.
Let us give thanks to the Lord for he is good; he has kept us secure through the terrors of the night and brought us safely to the morning! He will preserve us as we come and go today until we lie down to sleep in his arms. Have a day full of blessing!
AMEN
Cheryl Montgomery
