Morning Prayers Wednesday, 5 August 2020
MORNING PRAYER
Good morning, Cornerstone friends.
Psalm 17 verses 1-8
Hear my just cause, O Lord; consider my complaint
listen to my prayer, which comes not from lying lips.
Let my vindication come forth from your presence;
let your eyes behold what is right.
Weigh my heart, examine me by night,
refine me, and you will find no impurity in me.
My mouth does not trespass for earthly rewards;
I have heeded the words of your lips.
My footsteps hold fast to the ways of your commandments;
my feet have not stumbled in your paths.
I call upon you, O God, for you will answer me;
incline your ear to me, and listen to my words.
Show me your marvellous loving-kindness,
O Saviour of those who take refuge at your right hand
from those who rise up against them.
Keep me as the apple of your eye;
hide me under the shadow of your wings.
Deliver me, O Lord, by your hand
Generous Lord, deliver us from envious thoughts,
and when we are tempted by the desire of wealth or renown
let us see your face;
for your abundance is enough to clothe our lack;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen
…………………………………………………………………………
Matthew chapter 15 verses 30-39
Great crowds came to him, bringing with them the lame, the maimed, the blind, the mute, and many others. They put them at his feet and he cured them, so that the crowd was amazed, when they saw the mute speaking, the maimed whole, the lame walking, and the blind seeing. And they praised the God of Israel.
Then Jesus called his disciples to him and said, ‘I have compassion for the crowd, because they have been with me now for three days and have nothing to eat; and I do not want to send them away hungry for they might faint on the way.’ The disciples said to him ‘Where are we to get enough bread in the desert to feed so great a crowd?’ Jesus asked them ‘How many loves have you?’ They said ‘Seven, and a few small fish.’ Then ordering the crowd to sit down on the ground, he took the seven loaves and the fish; and after giving thanks he broke them and gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds. All of them ate and were filled; and they took up the broken pieces left over, seven baskets full. Those who had eaten were four thousand men, besides women and children.
…………………………………………………………………………………
I have cheated a little with the psalm and included verse eight which officially is allocated with later verses on some other day, but I love the words ‘keep me as the apple of your eye’, what a thought for the day!.
There are two stories of feeding crowds in St Mathew’s gospel. We had the other in Sunday’s gospel, the more well-known one, and in chapter 16 Jesus reminds the disciples that he has fed the crowds on more than one occasion. In each case we hear that Jesus had compassion for the people.
It reminds me of the inspiring Facebook Live event last week showing how Advantage Africa has had to suspend some of its projects to concentrate on providing food and essentials to families in Kenya and Uganda. The situation for the families they help is very desperate, as they deal with both HIV and Covid 19 as well as loss of income from the lock-down. The survival of Advantage Africa is also much more precarious. I have put the details of the web-page on our WhatsApp site for any of you to find out more and those, who are able, to make donations. What we can all do, is pray for this charity and the work it is doing.
The other thought I had was that there is in both accounts of these miracles, plenty was left over and the disciples collected it up. The disciples had good reason to tidy up as they would not want to draw attention to what the authorities might regard as unauthorised seditious meetings. Leaving it tidy was also avoiding waste and caring for the environment. O that some of the visitors to our parks in Milton Keynes would remember to tidy up after their picnics!
Plenty for all and some left over is an illustration to us of the generosity of God’s love.
Do you remember the children’s chorus?
Love is nothing ‘til you give it away,
give it away, give it away,
Love is something if you give it away
you’ll end up having more.
Love is like a magic penny,
hold it fast and you won’t have any
Spend it and you’ll have so many
they’ll roll all over the floor
God’s love for us is lavish! So can ours be.
…………………………………………………………………………………………
Let us pray for all who are joining in prayer, like us, separately yet linked only by technology.
We pray for all churches struggling to find fellowship in worship and creativity in mission.
We pray for the efforts of all to maintain our mission in Central Milton Keynes and to offer worship acceptable to God. We pray that each of us linked to Christ the Cornerstone will feel the joy of fellowship and worship together even in these circumstances and in the middle of the week.
A prayer from New Zealand
Loving God, open our hearts so that we may feel the breath and play of your Spirit.
Unclench our hands so that we may reach out to one another and touch and be healed.
Open our lips that we may drink in the delight and wonder of life.
Open our eyes that we may see Christ in friend and stranger.
Breathe your Spirit into us and touch our lives with the life of Christ. Amen
………………………………………………………………………………………………..
We are living through difficult times.
Many people all over the world are sick with a complaint that we cannot, as yet, cure.
More are worried for their health or are mourning the loss of loved ones.
Many people are suffering loss of jobs and livelihood
More are living with uncertainty about their economic survival.
Most of us are trying to cope with limitations on our usual way of life and are stressed.
The political and economic background, in most parts of the world, appears to be undergoing seismic change which worsens the disruption of this virus which is causing widespread disease.
There is so much more division that coming together. There is self-interest and a refusal to think of others, both at the smallest local level, such a litter in our parks, ranging up to the highest level of international relations and world business.
Yet, difficult as it is, there are people of goodwill and generosity working to improve the conditions for others, in their family and neighbourhood and in the world far beyond where they live. This week we mourn the loss of a great peacemaker, John Hume.
Let us pray that, what such people do today will prosper and bring change to the world and that we may be counted among their number.
A prayer from South Africa
Let us dream, let us prophesy.
Let us see visions of love and peace and justice.
Let us affirm with humility, with joy, with faith and courage:
Jesus Christ is the life of the world Amen
Merciful Father accept these our prayers for the sake of your Son, our Saviour, Jesus Christ. Amen
May God grant to us all, and to the whole world, this day, justice, truth and peace. Amen
Whatever you do; go well and go happy, good Cornerstone friends.
Don Head
