EVENING REFLECTION FOR ST COLUMBA’S NORTH SHIELDS

Provided by Dr Ann Sinclair

 

OPENING SENTENCES

Lord, come among us this evening,

In the quiet let us be aware of your presence

Let us be aware of your breath

Let us be aware of your arms holding us

in love.

AMEN

 

Prayer of Confession

God of all wisdom,

We ask for your wisdom to be our wisdom

Your teachings to teach us your ways

Your example to be seen in the example

we action in our daily living.

 

Forgive us our failings.

We confess to be slow to hear and notice

your guiding Spirit.

Lift us up ready to learn from our mistakes.

And change our ways to your ways

Have mercy on us.

 

God of all wisdom

Set us on a new path this Trinity Sunday evening,

A new path to take us forward in the days and evenings that lie ahead.

AMEN

And let us say together the pray our Lord Jesus taught his disciples:

Our Father who art in heaven….

For thine is the kingdom, the power and the glory

For ever and ever AMEN

 

READING ISAIAH 40; 12-17, 27-31

REFLECTION                The Lord has no equal

Isaiah is considered the greatest of the prophets. He was probably well liked at the beginning of his ministry but as with other prophets soon became unpopular because his messages were scathing denunciations to the people of Judah, Israel, and the surrounding nations to repent of their sins and return to God. Yet his messages in the second half of the Book are full of forgiveness, comfort and hope as Isaiah unfolds God’s promise of future blessings through his Messiah. And so, in Chapter 40 we find such words, in fact the opening words of the chapter read: ‘Comfort, comfort my people’ .

In this Reading, Isaiah describes God’s power to create, his provision to sustain and his presence to help. In these verses we can read of God the Almighty, God the all-powerful, the Lord is the everlasting God, and God cares for each one of us personally. While even the strongest people get tried at times, God’s strength never diminishes, God is always there to listen and help, and the source of our strength.  Don’t be afraid, trust in God and you will find new strength; God loves each one of us and is with us always.    AMEN

 

Hymn              Do not be afraid

(Rejoice & Sing 591)

 

Prayers of Intercession

Let us come together in prayer.

Loving God you know each one of us by name

and we come to you now to offer our prayers for others and ourselves.

This world sometimes makes us tired Lord.

There can perhaps be times when what is happening in the world can make tired of what is going on around us.

When we see the starving child or the homeless man or woman,

when we imagine the plight of the abused women or the fleeing refugee.

This world can make us tired, Lord.

When news is 24/7 of plight and pain and poverty, when leaders say and do what we’d reprimand our children for,

when the needs keep on coming and the challenges keep on challenging.

This world can make us tired, Lord.

What can this world at this time make us learn, Lord?

This world can make us love, Lord!

 

Teach us then Father, Son, Spirit. Teach us all to go!

Preach the Good New

To be the Good News.

With love, with courage, in service. Amen.

 

Blessing

With God’s blessing be the Lord’s disciples;

not knowing all the answer;

not promising to give all the answers;

but content to know, and confirm to others not to be afraid

that God is present, in all the mix of certainty and doubt that is human life.

AMEN