Morning Prayer Wednesday, 1 July 2020
Good morning, good Cornerstone friends.
Are you sparkling, even if it is dull weather and rain today?
Welcome to a new month.
I hope you are not too jaded to join us in our prayers this morning.
The Lord, the mighty God has spoken
and called the world from the rising of the sun to its setting.
Out of Zion, perfect in beauty, God shines forth;
our God comes and will not keep silent.
Consuming fire goes out before him
and a mighty tempest stirs about him.
He calls the heavens above,
and the earth, that he may judge his people:
‘Gather to me my faithful
who have sealed my covenant with sacrifice,’
Let the heavens declare his righteousness,
for God himself is judge.
Hear O my people and I will speak:
‘I will testify against you, O Israel for I am God your God
‘I will not reprove you for your sacrifices,
for your burnt offerings are always before me.
‘I will take no bull out of your house,
nor he-goat out of your folds,
‘For all the beasts of the forest are mine,
the cattle upon a thousand hills.
‘I know every bird of the mountains
and the insect of the field is mine.
‘If I were hungry, I would not tell you,
for the whole world is mine and all that fills it.
‘Offer to God a sacrifice of thanks giving
and fulfil your vows to God Most High.
‘Call upon me in the day of trouble;
I will deliver you and you shall honour me.’
Psalm 50: 1–15.
Offer to God a sacrifice of thanksgiving.
Almighty God, dwelling in unapproachable light,
forgive our vain attempts to appease you,
and show us you full salvation
In Jesus Christ, your Son, Our Lord.
Amen
Once Jesus was asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God was coming, and he answered, ‘The kingdom of God is not coming with things that can be observed; nor will they say, “Look, here it is!” or “There it is!” For, in fact, the kingdom of God is within you and among you.’
Luke 17: 20–21
We all like a bit of drama. We like to see things, ’in full colour’ ‘with striking headlines’.
And that is how much of our news is delivered to us.
I think that the writer of the Psalm and St Luke are saying, ‘God knows all about you. Don’t try and impress.’
(With our current hairstyles, few of us are looking impressive.)
The message I am hearing is, ‘Do not worry that you do not know or what is going to happen.
Get on with your day and be thankful to God for all he has given you.’
Let us pray for the Church:
for those in authority, bishops and leaders of the sponsoring denominations;
for our priests and ministers and those elected to our Ecumenical Council;
for those keeping our church open and preparing for the restart of regular worship.
We pray also for the mission of the church in the City Centre,
to be of service to the people who live there,
to those who work there,
to those who come to shop, for leisure activity,
for those concerned with providing public services
and for those who come just to meet up with other people
or to seek help with making their way through life.
We pray for guidance in our task of representing Our Lord Jesus Christ to all of the community in Milton Keynes
and for grace to see the face of Our Lord in all we are called to serve there.
Almighty and everlasting God,
by whose Spirit the whole body of the Church
is governed and sanctified:
hear our prayer which we offer for all your faithful people,
that in their vocation and ministry
they may serve you in holiness and truth
to the glory of your name
through our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
Amen
We pray for our unequal and disturbed nation and world;
for those who have power and authority and for those who feel they have neither,
for those keeping care of the sick,
for those educating the next generation,
for those keeping the place clean
and for those with the duty to uphold the laws,
and all in the courts, justice service and prisons.
We give thanks for our own safety and security,
and we pray also for all those who act selfishly and irresponsibly
or otherwise wish harm to their fellow humans and society.
They also are your children and we pray that they may come to know that this is so.
We pray that we may, by His grace, live and act showing that God’s love
is spread out for everyone prepared to accept it and live as He needs us to do.
This is the day that God has made,
we will rejoice and be glad in it.
We are the people that God has made,
we will not offer to God those things which cost us nothing.
We will go in peace to serve the Lord,
to seek truth and pursue it,
in the name of the Trinity of Love
we take His pilgrim way.
Amen
It is a new month with less restriction.
Be thankful and take care.
Don Head
