Psalm 23

Take a moment to be still and to pray ‘Come, Holy Spirit’ before reading the scriptures. If you are in the company of others, invite someone to read the text aloud.

If you are gathering with your family, invite someone to read this reflection aloud.

It was a car ride I will never forget.

We were sad and tired. Andrew was wrestling with grief as he had just led the service for his Granda’s funeral. A lockdown funeral. Like so many who have lost family during this pandemic, I was trying to keep at arm’s length the relentless feeling of disappointment that the family I love could not have the funeral they needed; the funeral that would’ve brought everyone so much closer to closure. We had just collected the kids from being minded. They were simmering with anger, not being allowed at the funeral, feeling excluded.

This heavy mixture of grief, disappointment, and anger filled every space around us like thick molasses. It felt hard for me to breathe. As if she had been reading my mind, my eight-year-old daughter asked for her window to be rolled down. Her father obliged. She closed her eyes, and leaned her head into the rushing air.

She took a deep breath.

Only that the rest of us were so quiet, we would not have heard it at first. A small bubble of something that in that moment felt so foreign and out of place. From somewhere far away, a little giggle rang like the tiniest of bells. Everything stopped as the sound, so fragile, so innocent, so other-worldly grew and transformed into a deep, guttural belly laugh. This was no ordinary laugh. This laugh felt like a protest; like an act of resistance. It demanded from the rest of us a response. Slowly, a little timidly at first, our own laughs began their ascent from our exhausted and defeated places.

Deep joy in the middle of deep sadness.

In Genesis 22, we find Abraham and his son walking up a mountain with the intent to build an altar. The only problem? There was no lamb for the sacrifice. When his very astute son asked where the sacrifice was for the altar they were going to build, Abraham said one thing: “God Himself will provide…”

I didn’t feel like Abraham the day I found myself standing in my kitchen, seething with rage and screaming at my children at the top of my lungs, “WE ARE A FAMILY OF PEACE AND LOVE!” But that was the day I admitted defeat. The day my confession rested on a heavy sigh: “Jesus, I don’t have this. I can’t do this.”

And much like my daughter’s giggle, the Spirit spoke; so very quietly: “Build an altar…”

Disbelief and doubt lead my charge, “Didn’t you hear me? I have no sacrifice. I have nothing to give. I’ve tried everything.”

“Build the altar, I’ll provide the sacrifice.”

Annoyance.

Exhaustion.

A sigh.

Right.

An altar.

As Jason Upton says: “Every table is an altar…”

My table. The place I used to entertain people from all walks of life and every corner of the globe. Abandoned during this last year, except for the slightly shouty, messy, and monotonous daily meal.

My table.

Ok. My altar will be my table.

Every Sunday, I build my altar. My 8 person, hand-me-down dining table. I lay my linen tablecloth and fold my linen napkins. I use the “good” cutlery and set out the wine glasses. I light the candles and turn on music as I prepare a roast chicken lunch. This altar is a confession: “Father, I feel spent; I don’t have all that life is requiring from me. But I know you do. I don’t know how it will come or what it will look like, but I have built my altar and I wait for you to provide the sacrifice.”

Some days, during my preparation, I sense that I am not alone. I am kept company by things that seek to crush me:

Fear that I’m not a good mother and wife.

Doubt that I can’t do my job well.

Anger that literally no one in my house knows how to load the dishwasher properly (and this obviously points to the logical conclusion that they all hate me and couldn’t care less if I was here or not—I’m not at all dramatic).

Those are the Sundays I need to build my altar the most.

“…He prepares a table before me in the presence of my enemies…”

And here, my friends, is the place where my miracle occurs: not the feast that happens when all is well. But the celebration that breaks out in the midst of a battle; the giggle that is born in the grip of fear; the table that is set and then filled in the presence of my enemies.

I’m no theologian, so I can’t tell you exactly how this works. My enemies have not disappeared, but somehow they seem weaker, less intimidating when I allow myself, in whatever state I am in, to sit at my table and eat from the feast the Father has provided.

Maybe, like me, you feel inadequate in the light of all life requires from you in this season. Maybe, you look at what you have and what you need and all you can see is ‘not enough’. Maybe you can’t remember the last time you weren’t exhausted or angry or afraid.

It’s time to build an altar.
It’s time to set the table.

Depending on which time of day you are practicing this office, you can use the morning or evening prayer. All to pray the following words aloud.

I bind unto myself today
The power of God to hold and lead,
His eye to watch, His might to stay,
His ear to hearken to my need,
The wisdom of my God to teach,
His hand to guide, His shield to ward;
The word of God to give me speech,
His heavenly host to be my guard.

Christ be with me, Christ within me,
Christ behind me, Christ before me,
Christ beside me, Christ to win me,
Christ to comfort and restore me,
Christ beneath me, Christ above me,
Christ in quiet, Christ in danger,
Christ in hearts of all that love me,
Christ in mouth of friend and stranger.
I bind unto myself the name,
The strong name of the Trinity;
By invocation of the same,
The three in One, and One in Three,
Of whom all nature hath creation;
Eternal Father, Spirit, Word:
Praise to the Lord of my salvation.
Salvation is of Christ the Lord.

Amen.

If you are gathering with your family, wait a moment and listen for the voice of God. Prayerfully share any words, pictures, encouragements or scriptures with each other by the laying on of hands.

Whether you are by yourself, or in the company of others, take time to pray for others that the Holy Spirit brings to mind, blessing them in His name.

Close your time by singing or saying aloud the Doxology.

“Fight back the dark with doxology. Doxology can detox the day.”

Ann Voskamp

Praise God, from whom all blessings flow;
Praise Him, all creatures here below;
Praise Him above, you heavenly host;
Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost!
Amen and Amen.

________

Luke 15: 11-32

Take a moment to be still and to pray ‘Come, Holy Spirit’ before reading the scriptures. If you are in the company of others, invite someone to read the text aloud.

If you are gathering with your family, invite someone to read this reflection aloud.

One of the blessings that the lockdowns have brought my family is that we have got to spend a lot more time with each other. I have an 18 month old son who is learning to explore the world and in turn, cause carnage and destruction just about everywhere he goes. Yet, despite that, I can assure you that there is no better feeling than coming down the stairs during my breaks at work to see my son glaring at me with a huge smile, leaping off the sofa, dropping his toys and coming straight towards me as fast as he can.  In those moments, I don’t care how big a mess he has made (and there is ALWAYS one believe me), all that matters is that he is my son and I am overjoyed that he sees me the way that he does. Now, I am human with imperfections like everyone else and yet if this is how I relate to my son, how much more compassionate is God towards his children?    

The Younger Son

It is this scenario that plays out within this passage that is commonly known as the parable of “The Prodigal Son”.  In this parable the younger “prodigal” son is rebellious and demands his inheritance early, he then blows it all, ends up in a pig pen and eventually returns home with his tail between his legs.  What I love about this rebellious young man is that despite all his mistakes and failures, he knew that he did not belong in that pig pen. Rather than dwelling on his mistakes and staying miserably in self pity, he knew where he belonged and he had the courage to go.  Yet when he does return home, he didn’t receive what he was expecting, or indeed what he deserved.

“So he got up and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion for him, and ran and embraced him and kissed him.” – Luke 15: 20 

The Father knew that without him, the Son was “lost” and rather than holding the son’s mistakes over him like a dark cloud, the Father celebrated the son’s return. It is this reaction that is the pivotal point in the story because it is at this point that the focus shifts away from the younger brother, to the older one.

The Older Son

The second son, who was loyal to his Father, is filled with bitterness and anger because the younger brother is being celebrated by the Father despite his rebellious behaviour. In other words, the older brother became jealous of the younger brother and unfortunately became bitter. Jesus in this passage is answering a concern that the Pharisees (the strict religious people of Jesus’ day) were asking at the beginning of the chapter:

“Now all the tax collectors and sinners were coming near Jesus to listen to Him.  And both the Pharisees and the scribes began to complain, saying, “This man receives sinners and eats with them.” – Luke 15:1-2

The older brother in the passage represents those whom Jesus is speaking to, for they too believed that God would never associate with sinners and thus were blind to their own sin and imperfections. Unfortunately though, the older son totally missed the Father’s heart as indeed the Pharisees did.  

 The love of the Father

The central figure in the story though is neither of the sons, that role belongs to the Father. For it is how the Father relates to both sons that is the overarching point of the story. You see, how we believe God relates to us impacts how we approach Him, if indeed we feel we can approach him at all. I mean, why would we trust someone who is going to punish us at the first sign of trouble?  The truth of the matter is that God doesn’t look upon us any less because of our failures, nor does he look upon us any better because of our successes. It is that revelation that will set you free from shame and rebellion (like the prodigal son) whilst equally setting you free from pride and bitterness (like the older brother).   It is not about how good or bad we are because we are all prodigals without Him, if only we’d have the courage to admit it.

When we do, we will always encounter a God who has been waiting on us all along with His arms open wide, desperate to lavish His love freely upon us and that, my friends, is great news.

Timmy Vennard

Depending on which time of day you are practicing this office, you can use the morning or evening prayer. All to pray the following words aloud.

I bind unto myself today
The power of God to hold and lead,
His eye to watch, His might to stay,
His ear to hearken to my need,
The wisdom of my God to teach,
His hand to guide, His shield to ward;
The word of God to give me speech,
His heavenly host to be my guard.

Christ be with me, Christ within me,
Christ behind me, Christ before me,
Christ beside me, Christ to win me,
Christ to comfort and restore me,
Christ beneath me, Christ above me,
Christ in quiet, Christ in danger,
Christ in hearts of all that love me,
Christ in mouth of friend and stranger.
I bind unto myself the name,
The strong name of the Trinity;
By invocation of the same,
The three in One, and One in Three,
Of whom all nature hath creation;
Eternal Father, Spirit, Word:
Praise to the Lord of my salvation.
Salvation is of Christ the Lord.

Amen.

If you are gathering with your family, wait a moment and listen for the voice of God. Prayerfully share any words, pictures, encouragements or scriptures with each other by the laying on of hands.

Whether you are by yourself, or in the company of others, take time to pray for others that the Holy Spirit brings to mind, blessing them in His name.

Close your time by singing or saying aloud the Doxology.

“Fight back the dark with doxology. Doxology can detox the day.”

Ann Voskamp

Praise God, from whom all blessings flow;
Praise Him, all creatures here below;
Praise Him above, you heavenly host;
Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost!
Amen and Amen.

________

Acknowledgements

Genesis 12: 1-9
Acts 16: 6-10

Take a moment to be still and to pray ‘Come, Holy Spirit’ before reading the scriptures. If you are in the company of others, invite someone to read the text aloud.

If you are gathering with your family, invite someone to read this reflection aloud.

Today, we celebrate the life of Saint Patrick.

Born in 389 in the north-east of England, the grandson of a priest, Patrick grew up on the wildside until he was captured by Celtic pirates as a sixteen-year-old boy.

Arriving in even wilder Ireland, young Patrick was sold into slavery for six years, herding cattle for Miliuc moccu Boin, a tribal chief and druid. Patrick would spend years in the Irish wilderness; A barren landscape that we are all too familiar with. Yet in keeping watch, patches of the wilderness became thin spaces as Patrick began to encounter Jesus.

As he would later put it in his Confessions:

“After I arrived in Ireland, I found myself pasturing flocks daily and I prayed a number of times each day. More and more the love and fear of God came to me and faith grew and my spirit was exercised until I was praying up to a hundred times everyday and in the night nearly as often.”

We are quick to disregard the wilderness as dead space. A place to escape from as quickly as possible. However, the stripped back topography of secluded space can create the conditions for our most profound experiences of Christ. For as we dial down the noise of a hurried life, we are attuned to the whispering voice of the Divine.

When Patrick wasn’t in solitude, he spent some time in the tribal settlement with his captors. Not only did he begin to quickly pick up the distinctiveness and the dialect of the community, he also was consumed by a love for the locals. After six years of formative captivity, Patrick returned home and trained for the priesthood before a series of recurring dreams haunted him. In the dreams, an angel named Victor came to him with letters from those he dwelt with in the settlement. Resembling Paul’s dream in Acts 16, Patrick heard the voices of those he stood in solidarity with, crying out, “We appeal to you, holy servant boy, to come and walk among us.”

Patrick didn’t miss a beat. He received permission to be sent back to Ireland with a rag tag apostolic team consisting of fellow priests and theologians, as well as laymen and laywomen. Having done the work of drawing close to the Irish, Patrick and his team imitating the ministry of Jesus, began to pray for the sick, reconcile disagreements, teach theology, and, above all, share the good news of the Kingdom. They were strategic in their mission. If a number of people committed their lives to Christ in an area, a church was planted, baptisms took place, and local church leaders were established.

It’s difficult to offer precise data, but it is estimated that over Patrick’s 28 year mission, tens of thousands were baptised, 700 churches were planted, and over 1000 priests were ordained.

Patrick resolutely walked the Jesus way throughout his Irish ministry. He was constantly criticised for spending too much time with pagans, sinners, and barbarians. He became the first European public figure to call for the abolition of slavery. And throughout it all, he practiced a rhythm of return and retreat by heading back into the wilderness to keep company with the Father, alone.

Patrick’s way of life shaped Ireland. As he reflected on three decades of apostolic ministry, Patrick said:

“This is why it came about in Ireland that people who had no acquaintance with God are recently made a people of the Lord and are known as children of God. For God gave me such grace, that many people through me were reborn to God and afterward continued and brought to perfection.”

This may be Patrick’s legacy, but it is also our heritage.

A local people, familiar with the wild rolling fields of Ireland, who centre their lives on encounter and obedience.

An apostolic people, formed by prayer, learning, solidarity with the poor, and a vision for the redemption of all things.

An evangelistic people who herald the good news, plant churches, and lay hands on brothers and sisters, releasing them to go from this island and bless the world.

As it was, may it be.
Amen.

Depending on which time of day you are practicing this office, you can use the morning or evening prayer. All to pray the following words aloud.

I bind unto myself today
The power of God to hold and lead,
His eye to watch, His might to stay,
His ear to hearken to my need,
The wisdom of my God to teach,
His hand to guide, His shield to ward;
The word of God to give me speech,
His heavenly host to be my guard.

Christ be with me, Christ within me,
Christ behind me, Christ before me,
Christ beside me, Christ to win me,
Christ to comfort and restore me,
Christ beneath me, Christ above me,
Christ in quiet, Christ in danger,
Christ in hearts of all that love me,
Christ in mouth of friend and stranger.
I bind unto myself the name,
The strong name of the Trinity;
By invocation of the same,
The three in One, and One in Three,
Of whom all nature hath creation;
Eternal Father, Spirit, Word:
Praise to the Lord of my salvation.
Salvation is of Christ the Lord.

Amen.

If you are gathering with your family, wait a moment and listen for the voice of God. Prayerfully share any words, pictures, encouragements or scriptures with each other by the laying on of hands.

Whether you are by yourself, or in the company of others, take time to pray for others that the Holy Spirit brings to mind, blessing them in His name.

Close your time by singing or saying aloud the Doxology.

“Fight back the dark with doxology. Doxology can detox the day.”

Ann Voskamp

Praise God, from whom all blessings flow;
Praise Him, all creatures here below;
Praise Him above, you heavenly host;
Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost!
Amen and Amen.

________

Acknowledgements

Celtic Way of Evangelism – George G. Hunter
Common Prayer – Shane Claiborne, Jonathan Wilson-Hartgrove and Enuma Okoro
Celtic Daily Prayer – Northumbria Community

Ruth 1

Take a moment to be still and to pray ‘Come, Holy Spirit’ before reading the scriptures. If you are in the company of others, invite someone to read the text aloud.

If you are gathering with your family, invite someone to read this reflection aloud.

As well as offering aloud our original prayers, this week our community is reciting a received prayer of St. Patrick, which you can find below. For centuries, the church has practiced the Celtic discipline of putting on St. Patrick’s breastplate through a prayer that tethers us once again to the strong name of the Trinity. Through these ancient words, we are reminded of how close and comprehensive Christ’s presence is. Jesus is closer than our very breath, as He hems us within His embrace.

There is a line in Patrick’s prayer that reminds us that whichever direction we look, all we see is Jesus:

“Christ behind me, Christ before me.”

Christ is behind you.

I’ve come to see that Christ has a backwards walk, ministering deeply into our backstory. In this present moment, none of us stand unscathed. Memories of the past may haunt us as we recollect upon the unresolved, our failed attempts or the actions we failed to even attempt.

Yet the God of history moves backwards, healing our histories.

In the rearviewmirror we can see Christ behind us, tending to our wounds and accepting us even when we were most broken. All that we wish to forget is within the range of redemption, as we come to see that Christ has never left us; never once forsaking us. As we stand from this present vantage point, all we see are traces of grace, for every past moment has been marked by the indelible presence of our faithful Friend.

We will also come to see that no experience of our past will be for nothing. There are no wasted days for the disciple whose feet are dusty from the Rabbi’s footsteps. For even in the overlooked, strained days when all we could muster up was a “Yes” or a wordless “Amen”, feeling that we should have done more, we can come to see that those were formative days when Jesus worked harder than we did, rooting us with a robust stability enabling us to keep on going.

Christ goes before you.

As Naomi pushes her away, Ruth responds with pure devotion:

“Don’t urge me to leave you or to turn back from you. Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay.”

Ruth’s commitment to Naomi is unwavering. These words chime with the depth of union that we have with Christ, as we are bound together through an interweaving love. Nothing can hold Christ back from His desire to dwell with us; we are grafted together, forever. We can’t push Him away, for if we wander into the depths or drift towards the far side of the sea, even there His right hand will be wrapped around us.

Up ahead, Christ is there. Alpha has always been around, but He is also the Omega, the destination of our lives. Jesus is our beginning and our end. Whatever life may bring, Christ goes before us and can be trusted with our futures. We may be uncertain of what is to come, yet as Jesus leads us, the future is not quite so unknown anymore.

Today is another strained Tuesday, one that you may never look back over again. However can I encourage you to take a few quiet moments to consider how bonded your life is with Christ?

And as you do, may you look back over the contours of your past and ahead over the valleys and hills that lie before you, paying attention to the with-ness of Jesus, for He is your history and your horizon.

Depending on which time of day you are practicing this office, you can use the morning or evening prayer. All to pray the following words aloud.

I bind unto myself today
The power of God to hold and lead,
His eye to watch, His might to stay,
His ear to hearken to my need,
The wisdom of my God to teach,
His hand to guide, His shield to ward;
The word of God to give me speech,
His heavenly host to be my guard.

Christ be with me, Christ within me,
Christ behind me, Christ before me,
Christ beside me, Christ to win me,
Christ to comfort and restore me,
Christ beneath me, Christ above me,
Christ in quiet, Christ in danger,
Christ in hearts of all that love me,
Christ in mouth of friend and stranger.
I bind unto myself the name,
The strong name of the Trinity;
By invocation of the same,
The three in One, and One in Three,
Of whom all nature hath creation;
Eternal Father, Spirit, Word:
Praise to the Lord of my salvation.
Salvation is of Christ the Lord.

Amen.

If you are gathering with your family, wait a moment and listen for the voice of God. Prayerfully share any words, pictures, encouragements or scriptures with each other by the laying on of hands.

Whether you are by yourself, or in the company of others, take time to pray for others that the Holy Spirit brings to mind, blessing them in His name.

Close your time by singing or saying aloud the Doxology.

“Fight back the dark with doxology. Doxology can detox the day.”

Ann Voskamp

Praise God, from whom all blessings flow;
Praise Him, all creatures here below;
Praise Him above, you heavenly host;
Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost!
Amen and Amen.

John 4: 1-27

Take a moment to be still and to pray ‘Come, Holy Spirit’ before reading the scriptures. If you are in the company of others, invite someone to read the text aloud.

If you are gathering with your family, invite someone to read this reflection aloud.

Life with Jesus is simple, right?

In one sense, it is as simple as breathing. In another sense, it is about as simple as breathing whilst running up four flights of stairs. And yet, both are healthy, normal, anticipated reactions.

Why then do we often try to hide when we’re out of breath?

Last week, I was out hiking with a friend, and we hit a steep hill. Our conversation quickly turned into a monologue as I began to ask short questions that required a lengthy response in an attempt to camouflage the fact I was struggling to breathe – Joe Wicks was not a feature in our house over lockdown. This worked for about five minutes until my body forced me to stop. Once I acknowledged I was pretending to be fitter than I was, I took a number of deep breaths. Then I felt myself regain capability for the rest of the hill.

I feel like some of us have been trying to camouflage the fact that life with Jesus hasn’t been simple lately. Underneath the façade are lurking questions and doubts that shame and fear have kept under wraps for far too long.

Can I let you in on a secret?

Jesus isn’t intimidated by your questions.

I don’t think there is a single question or doubt that He hasn’t already been asked. I think He is much more concerned about you not asking the questions you need to in order to move the conversation forward.

In John 4, Jesus, tired from His journey, stops at a well. (Side note: Jesus, in His full humanity, was tired and He stopped. He didn’t power on up the hill, He stopped to breathe. It’s important to listen to what your body is telling you!)

At this well Jesus encounters a woman. They begin to converse about the water in the well. In Verse 10, Jesus speaks symbolically of ‘living water’. The woman misunderstands Him, thinking He is referring to a running spring. In response, Jesus unpacks what He meant by ‘living water’ and explains how it symbolises eternal life. Again, the woman misunderstands Him for a literal meaning, and asks for a drink of this water.

I love the realness of this conversation. At multiple points, this woman misunderstood Jesus. She got it wrong; she missed what He was saying. She didn’t hide her confusion, nor did she mask her questions. She was unashamedly real with where she was at. And in response, Jesus didn’t get cross with her. He didn’t head off to find someone more intellectual who would understand. Instead, He patiently walked her through their conversation, letting her questions bring her on a journey to an even better revelation than she could have imagined.

The story crescendos to Verse 26 where Jesus reveals himself as the Messiah to her. This is the first time this happens in John’s gospel.

In some ways, loving and knowing Jesus is so simple, but in other ways, it’s really easy for us to misunderstand Him. I think we need to be more like the woman in this story. We need to be okay with asking our questions, and we need to be honest with where we are at. Life with Jesus is always an ongoing conversation. There is no shame in admitting when you are out of breath.

Here are some questions that may be helpful as you prayerfully reflect::

What are your questions about God at the moment? Can you even articulate what you’re wrestling with?

What aren’t you wrestling with at the moment?

What do you know is true?

Jesus was a safe space for this woman’s misunderstandings. Other than Jesus, do you have someone who you can be real with? Someone who is a few steps ahead of you. Someone that is a safe space for you as you wrestle, who you can ask questions of without feeling like you’re going to burden them?

Depending on which time of day you are practicing this office, you can use the morning or evening prayer. All to pray the following words aloud.

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace:
where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury, pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
where there is sadness, joy.

Oh Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek
to be consoled as to console,
to be understood as to understand,
to be loved as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive,
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned,
and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.

Amen.

St. Francis of Assisi

If you are gathering with your family, wait a moment and listen for the voice of God. Prayerfully share any words, pictures, encouragements or scriptures with each other by the laying on of hands.

Whether you are by yourself, or in the company of others, take time to pray for others that the Holy Spirit brings to mind, blessing them in His name.

Close your time by singing or saying aloud the Doxology.

“Fight back the dark with doxology. Doxology can detox the day.”

Ann Voskamp

Praise God, from whom all blessings flow;
Praise Him, all creatures here below;
Praise Him above, you heavenly host;
Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost!
Amen and Amen.

Luke 5: 12-16

Take a moment to be still and to pray ‘Come, Holy Spirit’ before reading the scriptures. If you are in the company of others, invite someone to read the text aloud.

If you are gathering with your family, invite someone to read this reflection aloud.

Yesterday, I introduced the idea that through His incarnation, Jesus offers us a pattern for living into the fullness of life. Or in words of Peter, Christ has left us an example, that we should follow in His footsteps.

In today’s scripture reading, we read of the heightening momentum surrounding Jesus’ ministry, as news about Him spreads with crowding gathering around Him. It would be logical for Jesus to ride the wave of such energy and attention, when in fact He does the opposite; for in the next verse we read:

“But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.”
Luke 5: 16

Throughout His ministry, we see Jesus retreating back into wilderness like spaces to be with the Father. Even when life reached its most intense moments, Jesus stuck to a pattern that He had cultivated through a rhythm that prioritised abiding rest.

Have you ever answered the question, “How are you doing?”, with an answer other than, “Good, but busy”? 

Pre-lockdown, our lives were full, disrupted by the tyranny of the urgent and hassled by that lingering feeling that there’s one more task to complete before we can relax. Life took on two modes: either we were busy or we were crashing. Over-stretched, over-caffeinated and over-notified, our minds, bodies and souls became busy and we were okay with it, even though, as Eugene Peterson puts it, “busyness is the enemy of spirituality.” 

The past year has forced us to slow down, to simplify life and to breathe once again. Once over the initial lockdown flurry, many of us began to come home ourselves and our souls had time to catch up with our bodies. We learned accept and even appreciate limitations, becoming content with the simplest of things and adopting new rhythms of rest and work with our families.

As we face the easing of restrictions, the question we need to consider is whether we will return back to our frantic, always teetering on the edge of burn-out kind of life?

Let’s not.

Let’s not go back to the way things were pre-coronavirus as we pushed ourselves right to the limit of ourselves, neglecting the good, true and beautiful aspects of life. Yet, may we go back even further, to the beginning, to a command for living that has been woven into the fabric of creation. 

May we learn to Sabbath.

For those of us who grew up around church, we can slip into thinking that Sabbath is all about “should nots”; others of us can think that Sabbath is about doing nothing. Yet Sabbath is about choosing to do things on a certain day of the week that lead us into intentional rest, worship and delight.

Sabbath comes from the Hebrew word Shabbat, which means to stop. Through the practice of Sabbath, we are invited to stop our work for a day and to enter into, as Tish Harrison Warren puts it, “the holiness of rest and the blessedness of unproductivity.” Through intentionally carving out a day to live differently from all the other days, we can learn to recover Jesus’ lordship over our lives and see once again that the world doesn’t hang on what we achieve, but it is sustained by what Jesus has accomplished. 

Sabbath is a day for us to recover our identity in Jesus once again.

By taking a Sabbath, we are invited to receive God’s gift of repetitive and regular rest, drawing us into communion with Him. Through this weekly practice, we are formed into the ways of trust and the surrendering of control, establishing a counterpoint for frantic living with a renewed awareness of God’s presence.

This rhythm is the foundation for living, for in Genesis we read:

“By the seventh day God had finished the work He had been doing; so on the seventh day He rested from all His work. Then God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it He rested from all the work of creating that He had been doing.”
Genesis 2: 2-3

Here’s the thing:

God rested. 

So should you.

God has established a rhythm of life, rest and work into the operating system of creation. Jesus Himself modelled out the way we are to live, showing us how to take a real rest and bear much fruit.

You are invited to practice the Jesus way by taking a weekly Sabbath; a day to relax, enjoy life and allow God to take care of us as we draw on Him. 

And why not start this weekend?

We have created a practice guide to help you and your family withdraw for a day and rest in the Father’s presence. Now is a good time to adopt a Sabbath rhythm, practicing it week in and week out, so that it may become like muscle memory and sustain you into the future.

You can access the Sabbath Practice Guide here.

Depending on which time of day you are practicing this office, you can use the morning or evening prayer. All to pray the following words aloud.

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace:
where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury, pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
where there is sadness, joy.

Oh Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek
to be consoled as to console,
to be understood as to understand,
to be loved as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive,
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned,
and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.

Amen.

St. Francis of Assisi

If you are gathering with your family, wait a moment and listen for the voice of God. Prayerfully share any words, pictures, encouragements or scriptures with each other by the laying on of hands.

Whether you are by yourself, or in the company of others, take time to pray for others that the Holy Spirit brings to mind, blessing them in His name.

Close your time by singing or saying aloud the Doxology.

“Fight back the dark with doxology. Doxology can detox the day.”

Ann Voskamp

Praise God, from whom all blessings flow;
Praise Him, all creatures here below;
Praise Him above, you heavenly host;
Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost!
Amen and Amen.

–

Acknowledgements

Sacred Rhythms – Ruth Haley Barton

Liturgy of the Ordinary – Tish Harrison Warren

Subversive Sabbath – A.J. Swooba

Philippians 2: 1-24

Take a moment to be still and to pray ‘Come, Holy Spirit’ before reading the scriptures. If you are in the company of others, invite someone to read the text aloud.

If you are gathering with your family, invite someone to read this reflection aloud.

“For there is hope to attain a journey’s end when there is a path which stretches between the traveller and his goal. But if there is no path, or if a man does not know which way to go, there is little use in knowing the destination. As it is, there is one road, and one only, well secured against all possibility of going astray; and this road is provided by one who is himself both God and man. As God, he is the goal; as man, he is the way.”
Saint Augustine

This week we have been reflecting on the mystery of godliness, by asking ourselves the question, why did God become human? Already we have seen that through the incarnation, Jesus saved us, sympathises with us, and can be heard in the heavenlies passionately praying for us.

Let’s take things one step further; for in becoming the God-man, Jesus also offered us a pattern to practice. A way of living into the fullness of life.

As we read in 1 Peter 2, Christ has left us an example, that we should follow in His steps. In observing the embodied life of Jesus we find the way we are to follow. We are invited to live the kind of life Jesus lived by doing the same kind of things that Jesus did. If we truly have faith in Christ, we must be those who also believe He knew how to live life well, showing us the shape our lives should take.

Disciples are those who look at the overall way of Jesus and do not see a legacy merely to be admired, but rather a lifestyle to be imitated.

As we look at the shape of Jesus’ life, we see a blueprint for our lives also. In hearing the Rabbi call out to us, “Follow me,” we receive an invitation to adopt the overall lifestyle of Jesus by reconstructing our priorities around His practices, repeating them so often they become engrained, habitual rhythms.

By His own Spirit, the life of Jesus is available for us to embody today.

As we close out this week, I want to highlight two ways through which we can look at the example of Christ and allow our feet to get dusty as we follow in His footsteps – serving and sabbathing.

Following Paul’s remarkable exposition of the nature of Christ, who made Himself nothing, taking on the form of servant and being found in appearance of a man, Paul includes a note to the Philippians when he sends his apprentice Timothy. In lines which are often overlooked, Timothy shows us what it means to adopt the pattern of Christ by practicing His way. Paul writes that so many are caught up in the cycle of self-interest. Timothy, however, adopts the Jesus way by showing genuine concern for the welfare of others. An other-centred way of living aligns us with the mindset of Jesus Himself, through which others are served and He is exalted.

True living is found through the expression of self-sacrificing love on behalf of another. The truly great are willing servants, for it is in giving that we receive. In losing our lives on behalf of others, we paradoxically find life in its fullness.

Apprentices of Jesus instinctively embody an agape love. Dietrich Bonhoeffer categorizes this into three acts of service: “the service of listening, the service of active helpfulness with the bothersome things of life by which we are interrupted by God, and the service of forbearance, in which the strong help the weak, the healthy help the ill and the righteous help the fallen.”

We are to listen. We are to help. We are to be patient.

I know I’m labouring the obvious: the way of Christ is tethered to our service of others. But this is a good moment to be reminded of what is most basic. For as we all look eagerly ahead to restrictions being eased off, it would be easy for us to double down, paying attention solely to ourselves. May we be the kind of people who choose a different, dusty road, that leads us away from ourselves and towards the good of others.

Depending on which time of day you are practicing this office, you can use the morning or evening prayer. All to pray the following words aloud.

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace:
where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury, pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
where there is sadness, joy.

Oh Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek
to be consoled as to console,
to be understood as to understand,
to be loved as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive,
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned,
and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.

Amen.

St. Francis of Assisi

If you are gathering with your family, wait a moment and listen for the voice of God. Prayerfully share any words, pictures, encouragements or scriptures with each other by the laying on of hands.

Whether you are by yourself, or in the company of others, take time to pray for others that the Holy Spirit brings to mind, blessing them in His name.

Close your time by singing or saying aloud the Doxology.

“Fight back the dark with doxology. Doxology can detox the day.”

Ann Voskamp

Praise God, from whom all blessings flow;
Praise Him, all creatures here below;
Praise Him above, you heavenly host;
Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost!
Amen and Amen.

–

Acknowledgements

The God Who Became Human – Graham A. Cole
Dissident Discipleship – David Augsburger
On The Road With Saint Augustine – James K. A. Smith

Hebrews 5: 7-10 & 7: 23-28

Take a moment to be still and to pray ‘Come, Holy Spirit’ before reading the scriptures. If you are in the company of others, invite someone to read the text aloud.

If you are gathering with your family, invite someone to read this reflection aloud.

One of life’s richest joys can be found when a fellow pilgrim looks you in the eye and gently asks, “Can I pray for you?”

Aware of life’s state of play, as your friend begins to offer up petitions and speak aloud their blessing, it’s clear that this isn’t the first time they’ve prayed for you. Through the nuance of their requests and the depth of devotion behind their encouragement, you can tell that they have been on their knees, repeatedly offering your life before the Lord. There is something about their cadence that speaks to the rhythm of prayer they have adopted behind the scenes. So much so that when they offer to pray for you, it becomes clear how utterly engaged they have been in interceding for you.

When I hear the deep prayers made for me by dear friends, I’m left feeling humbled yet eager to take one faithful step further forward.

What if I told you Jesus is praying for you like that, right now?

While we may not be able to draw close around the throne of God to listen in on the words of Jesus’ prayers coming from the right hand side, through Hebrews 7, we can clearly hear His heart. Jesus is interceding for you and He’s not going to stop. Applying what the atonement accomplished through intercession, as Dane Ortlund puts it, “the divine Son never ceases to bring his atoning life, death and resurrection before his Father in a moment by moment way.” Jesus never disengages in praying for you.

As you read these words, as you breathe your next breath, consider that Christ has you in mind in the givenness of this very moment. He’s praying for you, now.

Now.

Now.

Just let that sink in before you rush ahead.

We see this habit of fervent prayer throughout Jesus’ life on earth and today He continues in the same vein. His appearing amongst us has set Christ up to operate as the ultimate intercessor, for His prayers are informed by His incarnation. With the muscle memory of what it means to be human and still bearing the wounds of His sacrifice in His resurrected body, Christ prays from a unique perspective. Familiar with our frame, an expert in our experience, Jesus’ prayers are more engaged and more informed than you can imagine.

He knows you more intimately than you know yourself.

From this vantage point, Jesus prays for you. His cadence is quickened by His passion for you, His words strung together, laced with love.

As you pause to pray today, and especially if the best you can offer are merely wordless groans, may you remember that Jesus is always praying for you before you pray to Him. He’s praying for you, now.

Now.

Now.

Depending on which time of day you are practicing this office, you can use the morning or evening prayer. All to pray the following words aloud.

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace:
where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury, pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
where there is sadness, joy.

Oh Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek
to be consoled as to console,
to be understood as to understand,
to be loved as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive,
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned,
and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.

Amen.

St. Francis of Assisi

If you are gathering with your family, wait a moment and listen for the voice of God. Prayerfully share any words, pictures, encouragements or scriptures with each other by the laying on of hands.

Whether you are by yourself, or in the company of others, take time to pray for others that the Holy Spirit brings to mind, blessing them in His name.

Close your time by singing or saying aloud the Doxology.

“Fight back the dark with doxology. Doxology can detox the day.”

Ann Voskamp

Praise God, from whom all blessings flow;
Praise Him, all creatures here below;
Praise Him above, you heavenly host;
Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost!
Amen and Amen.

–

Acknowledgements

Gentle and Lowly – Dane Ortlund

Hebrews 4: 14 – 5: 4

Take a moment to be still and to pray ‘Come, Holy Spirit’ before reading the scriptures. If you are in the company of others, invite someone to read the text aloud.

If you are gathering with your family, invite someone to read this reflection aloud.

My favourite scene in television takes place on Christmas Eve as White House Deputy Chief of Staff Josh Lyman walks out of an intense day of therapy in which he is diagnosed with PTSD following a recent shooting. As he walks towards the front entrance of The West Wing, he notices his boss, Leo McGarry sitting waiting for him by the fire. Taken aback that Leo would wait for him the night before Christmas, Josh is greeted with a parable told by a sage who is familiar with the tough terrain of life’s road.

Leo says, “This guy’s walking down the street when he falls down a hole. The walls are so steep he can’t get out. A doctor passes by, and the guy shouts up, “Hey, you! Can you help me out?” The doctor writes a prescription and throws it down in the hole and moves on. Then a priest comes along, and the guy shouts, “Father, I’m down in this hole. Can you help me out?” The priest writes out a prayer, throws it down in the hole, and moves on. Then a friend walks by. “Hey, Joe, it’s me! Can you help me out?” And the friend jumps in the hole. Our guy says, “Are you stupid? Now we’re both down here.” The friend says, “Yeah, but I’ve been down here before, and I know the way out.”

A little solidarity goes a long way.

In Hebrew culture, there was no religious leader more significant than the High Priest. Priests played the unique role of representing worshippers before God and mediating the grace of God back to worshippers. In Hebrews we read of Jesus being the true and better High Priest, a priestly mediator with a pastoral heart full of affection for us.

One of the most wondrous claims of Christianity is found through the outworking of the incarnation: Jesus sympathises with us in our weakness.

We don’t follow a God who has taken up residence in a faraway kingdom, leaving us to roam the badlands by ourselves. No, Jesus draws close. In His becoming like us, He intimately knows our frame and His response is always surprisingly gentle.

The extent of testing that Jesus faced far outstretches anything we can imagine. He endured the full range of human pain, suffering and temptation, never once caving in. Jesus has walked through the wilderness before, He knows the lay of the land. When we face heartache, loneliness, misunderstanding, emptiness and enticement, feeling the urgency to cover it up in fear of an angry God who looks down on us, we instead sense the presence of a gentle Friend, who doesn’t pity us but co-suffers with us. The One who never sinned draws alongside us when we are weakest and knows where to go from here.

In the words of Dane Ortlund:

“In our pain, Jesus is pained. His human nature engages our troubles comprehensively. The reason that Jesus is in such close solidarity with us is that the difficult path we are on is not unique to us. He has journeyed on it himself. It is not only that Jesus can relieve us from our troubles, like a doctor prescribing medicine; it is also that, before any relief comes, he is with us in our troubles, like a doctor who has endured the same disease.”

Such wonder, such grace! Jesus knows precisely what you are going through and in spite of it, comes closer. Often we approach a back-to-front God, believing we need to get our stuff together before we dare darken the courts of the King. When, in fact, at the point when we are weakest, we can approach the throne confidently, even as we stagger, propped up by the High Priest.

Often I turn to St. Patrick’s Breastplate prayer as I spend time in the company of Jesus. In recent days, I have been reciting the ancient words of, “I bind unto myself today, the power of God to hold and lead.” As I pray these words, I imagine Christ holding me up when I am tired and sore, one arm wrapped around my shoulders, the other tenderly placed on my heart. Together we take small strides forward, one at a time, as He leads me on. Along the road I’m comforted by His presence and glad that He knows the way. He’s been here before.

Whatever trials you may face today, may you know the solidarity of Christ. May you be held by Him as He leads you towards mercy and grace.

“I bind unto myself today,
The power of God to hold and lead,
His eye to watch, His might to stay,
His ear to hearken to my need,
The wisdom of God to teach,
His hand to guide, His shield to ward;
The Word of God to give me speech,
His heavenly host to be my guide.”
Amen.

Depending on which time of day you are practicing this office, you can use the morning or evening prayer. All to pray the following words aloud.

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace:
where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury, pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
where there is sadness, joy.

Oh Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek
to be consoled as to console,
to be understood as to understand,
to be loved as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive,
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned,
and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.

Amen.

St. Francis of Assisi

If you are gathering with your family, wait a moment and listen for the voice of God. Prayerfully share any words, pictures, encouragements or scriptures with each other by the laying on of hands.

Whether you are by yourself, or in the company of others, take time to pray for others that the Holy Spirit brings to mind, blessing them in His name.

Close your time by singing or saying aloud the Doxology.

“Fight back the dark with doxology. Doxology can detox the day.”

Ann Voskamp

Praise God, from whom all blessings flow;
Praise Him, all creatures here below;
Praise Him above, you heavenly host;
Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost!
Amen and Amen.

–

Acknowledgements

Gentle and Lowly – Dane Ortlund
I’m a Philosopher. We Can’t Think Our Way Out of This Mess – James K. A. Smith

Philippians 2: 1-11

Take a moment to be still and to pray ‘Come, Holy Spirit’ before reading the scriptures. If you are in the company of others, invite someone to read the text aloud.

If you are gathering with your family, invite someone to read this reflection aloud.

Through our Lenten reflections this week I want to risk straying into the mystery of godliness, by lightly dipping our toes into a paradox that has kept poets, painters and preachers up at night, awake for centuries: 

Why did God become human?

Through filters that soften and distort selfies, the curation of our identities by becoming a well performing online avatar, the ambient hum of distraction and the inkling to always be optimising ourselves, we are so often running away from what it means to be human. While we are escaping from the skin and bone reality of life, we find Jesus moving in the opposite direction – the fullness of God becoming a man.

In Philippians 2, we read of the fully God Jesus, choosing to make Himself nothing, being found in the appearance of a man and offering Himself obediently to death on a cross. Jesus emptied Himself out by adding to Himself the nature of man. Through the incarnation, the Sustainer of all willingly became dependent upon His Father, His Spirit, His mother, His family, His friends. In becoming like us, Jesus willingly entered into the ways of the same world that He upholds by the very word of His power.

By the way, this was not a phase for Jesus, for He will forever be the God-man. Jesus’ humble embodiment of humanity will last for eternity.

Why, though?

As Jesus tethered His divine and human natures together for all time, He could now take on the form of a sacrificial servant able to live obedient onto death, fulfilling the will of the Father. The Father’s desire, fired up by His love for us, could only be actioned by the execution of the God-man. 

It was the only way. 
His incarnation paved the way onto Redemption Road. 

The truth is God cannot die and man cannot overcome death. Yet to take a lead from John Calvin, as Jesus coupled the weakness of our humanity with the death-wrestling power of the divine, He paved the way for our victory. Or as John Stott put it, “The divinity of Christ, the humanity of Christ and the righteousness of Christ uniquely qualified Him to be man’s redeemer. If He had not been man, He could not have redeemed men. If He had not been a righteous man, He could not have redeemed unrighteous men. And if he had not been God’s Son, He could not have redeemed men for God or made them sons of God.” 

I know what you’re thinking.
It’s Monday Stu. Why leave us with a head-scratcher?

Well, at the start of this week, I want you to see once again the lengths that Jesus was willing to go for us to receive His gift of love and life everlasting. In the incarnation we see the great condescension, as Jesus emptied Himself of all that He was owed so that we may become the sons and daughters of God. Doxology is the fitting response to the wonder of the incarnation.

Also, Jesus shows us the shape that our lives are to take. In a culture obsessed with rising through the ranks, our Redeemer takes the opposite path of downward mobility, marked by service and sacrifice. The God-shaped life is not found in building your status, achieving your life goals or getting to live like so and so. The way to be human, newly human, is found in travelling in the direction that Jesus is going, moving towards those He tends to keep company with. In His Kingdom, there is no one or no thing that is beneath you. 

As you step into a new week, may you think of yourself the way that Christ thought of Himself:

Humble and willing to serve.

Depending on which time of day you are practicing this office, you can use the morning or evening prayer. All to pray the following words aloud.

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace:
where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury, pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
where there is sadness, joy.

Oh Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek
to be consoled as to console,
to be understood as to understand,
to be loved as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive,
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned,
and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.

Amen.

St. Francis of Assisi

If you are gathering with your family, wait a moment and listen for the voice of God. Prayerfully share any words, pictures, encouragements or scriptures with each other by the laying on of hands.

Whether you are by yourself, or in the company of others, take time to pray for others that the Holy Spirit brings to mind, blessing them in His name.

Close your time by singing or saying aloud the Doxology.

“Fight back the dark with doxology. Doxology can detox the day.”

Ann Voskamp

Praise God, from whom all blessings flow;
Praise Him, all creatures here below;
Praise Him above, you heavenly host;
Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost!
Amen and Amen.

–

Acknowledgements

The Man Christ Jesus – Bruce A. Ware
The God Who Became Human – Graham A. Cole
Trick Mirror – Jia Tolentino

As we get used to the shape of this season, we wanted to highlight again that we won’t be releasing a daily office over the weekend. Instead, we want to invite you into the intentional practice of Sabbath this Saturday or Sunday – a day for rest, worship and delight.

We have created a practice guide to help you and your family as you weave Sabbath into the rhythm of your week. You can find the practice guide and video here.

Matthew 28: 20 and Deuteronomy 31: 6

Take a moment to be still and to pray ‘Come, Holy Spirit’ before reading the scriptures. If you are in the company of others, invite someone to read the text aloud.

If you are gathering with your family, invite someone to read this reflection aloud.

One of my favourite things I have ever randomly come across is a sprawling list written by an anonymous person online.

“Do you ever just think about Jesus living here on earth?

I think sometimes we tend to think He just bounced from one miracle to another and everyday was a Bible story, but His ministry lasted for three years and the Gospels don’t actually cover that much, so imagine all those ordinary days??”

The author goes on to list things like Jesus having favourite foods, getting sore blistered feet, snoring when he slept, sharing inside jokes with the disciples. Each thing is punctuated by an exclamation of wonder: “Imagine laughing with the person who gives you breath to laugh in the first place.”

It is a beautiful expression of something I think we must all forget, more often than we would care to admit. You go about your every day, taking an extra few minutes in bed, forgetting to eat lunch, getting the shopping. The mundane actions that happen simply because they do. They may take on very different forms depending on your culture, your income, your health, but they exist all the same. Do you ever stop to remember that the God of the universe used to do these same things in His every day on earth? That He understands the mundane. Not just understands, but has made these small actions essential.

The thought of Jesus cooking… The image of Him wrapping an arm around one of His friends and belly-laughing at something they said… The idea that He lay down every night to go to sleep and woke up every morning… I can’t think of this without tears springing into my eyes.

We are living in a strange world where businesses, jobs, even people are now classified as essential and non-essential. Our day to day lives have been peeled back to “the bare minimum.” There has been extraordinary loss. Of routines, of treats, of hobbies, of company. Of jobs, of income, of security, of health. Of so much of what makes normal life normal. And there is grief in this – on top of everything else, because life never just stops no matter what else might be going on. It has been hard to not lose hope. We have all had our strong days. If we’re honest, we’ve also had our wobble days. We might even have had half-and-half days.

On the days I have felt at a loss and on the days I have felt bursting with joy, I imagine Jesus with me. I know you probably read this thinking, “Yes, I totally get that Alex, feeling His presence with you, absolutely I’ve been there.” And yes, that is what I mean in some capacity. But what I actually mean is that I imagine Jesus standing next to me. In Tesco, searching for flour. In Wallace Park, walking my puppy. In my living room, laughing at the television. He has the kindest eyes in the whole world, and the most encouraging smile.

There is something ridiculously calming, overwhelmingly peaceful about imagining our Jesus walking through life with us. When He came to earth, He came to save us. To show us how to follow His Word and His teachings. The Great Commission is the greatest thing any of us can take on and apply to our lives. It is the point, the reason, the purpose. But if that was all, Jesus could have just appeared as a vision in the clouds and commanded His people to follow them. If all He wanted was to end suffering and stop the persecution of His people, He could have made Himself the son of an earthly king, with the right connections to reach the masses while living as comfortable a life as ever existed.

Instead, He came as a poor carpenter. Sawdust in His hair, splinters in His fingers.

“It’s not the miracles that are unthinkable.” It’s that our God would choose to embrace suffering over comfort, hunger over plenty, toil over leisure. That the God of the universe would even be concerned with the normal of the world and use it to demonstrate a true life of faith. That after He was subjected to cruelty and pain, to a horrible death at the hands of His enemies, He returned to leave His Spirit with us.

“I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

Even when you’re looking for flour at Tesco.

Depending on which time of day you are practicing this office, you can use the morning or evening prayer. All to pray the following words aloud.

Morning Prayer 

Christ, as a light
illumine and guide me.
Christ, as a shield
overshadow me.
Christ under me;
Christ over me;
Christ beside me
on my left and my right.
This day be within and without me,
lowly and meek, yet all-powerful.
Be in the heart of each to whom I speak;
in the mouth of each who speaks unto me.
This day be within and without me,
lowly and meek, yet all-powerful.
Christ as a light;
Christ as a shield;
Christ beside me
on my left and my right.

Amen.

Northumbria Community

Evening Prayer 

Keep watch, dear Lord, with those who work, or watch or weep this night, and give your angels charge over those who sleep. Tend the sick, Lord Christ; give rest to the weary, bless the dying, soothe the suffering, pity the afflicted, shield the joyous; and all for your love’s sake.

Amen.

Compline Prayer – Common Book of Prayer

If you are gathering with your family, wait a moment and listen for the voice of God. Prayerfully share any words, pictures, encouragements or scriptures with each other by the laying on of hands.

Whether you are by yourself, or in the company of others, take time to pray for others that the Holy Spirit brings to mind, blessing them in His name.

Close your time by singing or saying aloud the Doxology.

“Fight back the dark with doxology. Doxology can detox the day.”

Ann Voskamp

Praise God, from whom all blessings flow;
Praise Him, all creatures here below;
Praise Him above, you heavenly host;
Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost!
Amen and Amen.

–

Acknowledgements

Anonymous Author