Friday 19th May 2023 Prayers

I am afraid that the Covid still lingers.  Hope to be back with video on Monday.

In the meantime  here are today's readings.

Take care and God bless

Rev Tim

Psalm 44

¹We have heard with our ears, O God, our ancestors have told us, what deeds you performed in their days, in the days of old:

²you with your own hand drove out the nations, but them you planted; you afflicted the peoples, but them you set free;

³for not by their own sword did they win the land, nor did their own arm give them victory; but your right hand, and your arm, and the light of your countenance, for you delighted in them.

⁴You are my King and my God; you command victories for Jacob.

⁵Through you we push down our foes; through your name we tread down our assailants.

⁶For not in my bow do I trust, nor can my sword save me.

⁷But you have saved us from our foes, and have put to confusion those who hate us.

⁸In God we have boasted continually, and we will give thanks to your name forever. Selah

PRAYER

For this new day we give you thanks our powerful and gracious God.

Help us to appreciate the beauty of the world.

Show us Your hand at work in creation,

and bless us in Christ's name.  Amen

Acts 16:1-15

16Paul went on also to Derbe and to Lystra, where there was a disciple named Timothy, the son of a Jewish woman who was a believer; but his father was a Greek. ²He was well spoken of by the believers in Lystra and Iconium. ³Paul wanted Timothy to accompany him; and he took him and had him circumcised because of the Jews who were in those places, for they all knew that his father was a Greek. ⁴As they went from town to town, they delivered to them for observance the decisions that had been reached by the apostles and elders who were in Jerusalem. ⁵So the churches were strengthened in the faith and increased in numbers daily.

⁶They went through the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been forbidden by the Holy Spirit to speak the word in Asia. ⁷When they had come opposite Mysia, they attempted to go into Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus did not allow them; ⁸so, passing by Mysia, they went down to Troas. ⁹During the night Paul had a vision: there stood a man of Macedonia pleading with him and saying, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.” ¹⁰When he had seen the vision, we immediately tried to cross over to Macedonia, being convinced that God had called us to proclaim the good news to them. ¹¹We set sail from Troas and took a straight course to Samothrace, the following day to Neapolis, ¹²and from there to Philippi, which is a leading city of the district of Macedonia and a Roman colony. We remained in this city for some days. ¹³On the sabbath day we went outside the gate by the river, where we supposed there was a place of prayer; and we sat down and spoke to the women who had gathered there. ¹⁴A certain woman named Lydia, a worshiper of God, was listening to us; she was from the city of Thyatira and a dealer in purple cloth. The Lord opened her heart to listen eagerly to what was said by Paul. ¹⁵When she and her household were baptized, she urged us, saying, “If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come and stay at my home.” And she prevailed upon us.

To think about:

- Why do you think the Spirit of Jesus stopped Paul from going to Bithynia?

- How does the Spirit of Jesus guide us?

- Are there times when we may want to do something but feel God is telling us to do something different?

PRAY FOR THE WORLD

- For those caught up in the flooding in Italy

- For the leaders of the world that they will hear God's guidance.

- For peace in Ukraine and The Sudan.

- For those we know who are unwell in any way.

Hymn: (Click on link below to see)

Will You Come And Follow Me 

O consuming fire, O Spirit of love, descend into our hearts and there transform us until we are fire of your fire, love of your love, and Christ himself is formed within us. Amen. 

Elizabeth of Schonau (d.1184)