Tuesday 17 September 2019

Day by day God is working his plan - Genesis 24


Father as we see your hand at work moving history towards your purposes.
We confess that
we are working for our own glory
we seek our own desires
we want our own way;
Little realising that the joy we seek is not found there.
As you show us your hand at work
Give us confidence in your plan
Help us to trust your love towards us
May we align our lives in accordance with truth
And in so doing experience your joy and peace.
May our strivings cease, and our confidence and trust in you grow ever stronger.
May our agendas pale and wane as we are increasingly give ourselves to your kingdom and your glory.
We pray for Jesus sake
Amen

Tuesday 10 September 2019

Not Home Yet - Genesis 23:1-20

Father, your people are aliens and strangers in this world.
We do not fully receive what you have promised,
But our hearts are drawn to settle here,
Our eyes are fixed on the temporary,
Our minds are lured to the transient,
Our souls are lured by the present and the visible.
Give us ears that listen to your promises.
Minds that remember them,
Hearts that believe them,
Souls that are quick to abandon the pleasures of this world.
And give us a longing for eternity with you.
Thank you that your Spirit is the deposit guaranteeing our inheritance.
Come Lord Jesus come.

Saturday 7 September 2019

September 2019


The Bible says, husbands love your wives as Christ has loved the church and gave himself up for her.

Our Father we have not loved our wives in a sacrificial way. We have instead loved ourselves. We have not given ourselves up for them but have instead expected them to give themselves up for us. We have been selfish. We have not been willing to die for them. We have not truly loved.

“Father we confess our sin and ask for your forgiveness. Have mercy on us.”

Father we have sinned sexually. Our hearts have desired other women. We have secretly looked at images of other women; we have let our eyes roam and our hearts be discontent with our wives. We have allowed people around us to speak of women in ways that are degrading, depraved and rude. We have joked and laughed at gender stereotypes. We have treated women as sex objects as if they were made for our pleasure. We have not appreciated our wives, our sisters and our mothers.

“Father we confess our sin and ask for your forgiveness. Have mercy on us.”

Our Father we have tolerated thoughts of ‘the other’ in our minds. “Look at what they are doing. Look at those people,” we have thought. Instead of loving the outcast, the refugee, the widow and the orphan we have loved ourselves. We have tolerated hatred of people of other races in our own hearts and families. Forgive us. Change us. Transform us. Save us.

“Father we confess our sin and ask for your forgiveness. Have mercy on us.”


The Bible says
“Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus, Who being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death- even death on a cross.

Our Father we confess before you those very many moments when we have wanted a better husband, when we have been discontent, ungrateful, moody, rude and even mean. We confess that we have not had the mind of Christ but have instead sought to get our own way, to dominate the conversation and elevate ourselves. We have sought power not humility. Rule and not submission. Greatness rather than the cross

“Father we confess our sin and ask for your forgiveness. Have mercy on us.”

We pray for hearts of love. Hearts that seek the good of our families. Hearts that are outward rather than inward. We pray for your mercy on our families and your grace in the place of our mistakes.

“Father we confess our sin and ask for your forgiveness. Have mercy on us.”

Father we confess those moments when we have gossiped and slandered our husbands – perhaps in our hearts; perhaps in our speech. Forgive us. We confess those moments when we have allowed others in our presence to degrade their husbands and mock their failings. We confess those moments when we have put ourselves first and demanded our rights because we are worth it – forgetting that you who is of infinite worth – instead submitted yourself to us. We confess that our hearts are far from you and pray that you would draw us towards you. Change us. Mould us. Make us to love more for your glory alone

“Father we confess our sin and ask for your forgiveness. Have mercy on us.”

Monday 2 September 2019

The God who Provides - Genesis 22

O Father, I don’t even know what I need.
I think I do.
I certainly know what I want.
But what I want is too small.
And what I need I can’t see.
So give me eyes to see what you know that I need.
Give me a mind to comprehend the magnitude of yourself,
The magnitude of my separation from you,
And the infinity of eternity.
As you provide the lamb for me, give me a heart of worship and gratitude.
As I am enfolded in your arms of love,
A recipient of your immense generosity and provision,
May I know you deeply and love you with all my being.