Daily Devotions for 2nd November, 2018

Morning
Look Upward and Pray to hear and receive from Jesus

Reading : JEREMIAH 6 verses 16-21
Meditation : consider carefully these words as your day starts.
Which words or images stay with you?
What is God saying to you today?

And then Pray in response to the God who guides us.

God of guidance
God who speaks
God of Jeremiah
God of my life today
We pause and bow before you.
Teach us
Help us
Lead us
Even today
Amen – we pray together.

Midday
Pray God’s blessing on those preparing to preach this weekend
Father God, hear our prayers and bless them each and all real good we ask

Evening

Reading : read this passage again
Reflect on the words you have just read and pray in response to this God
LORD God, hear our evening prayers
As we return our thanks to you
And as we trust you for tomorrow.

Together We Pray

As part of the national call to pray together from the Church of Scotland, today we pause and pray for our land and our world. We use a prayer provided under the heading of a song for justice.

Hear me, O God,
hear my songs of lament
at injustices
too many, too overwhelming,
crowding in on me.

How can there be so much pain and violence?
Will it never end?
Will we never learn?
Receive the emotions that churn around me
when I open myself to such questions.
Listen to my heartfelt please for peace, for justice.

May I listen today with all of creation
for the joy and life at the heart of all being.
May this rhythm sustain me through the today.
May your song carry me;
the praise that underpins all of creation
delight my heart
and allow my voice to join with my ancestors,
my sisters and brothers
and all creation,
as we seek justice for all.

Amen.

Pray for BIG Alpha

2 Chronicles 6 verses 12-21

Then Solomon stood before the altar of the Lord in front of the whole assembly of Israel and spread out his hands. 13 Now he had made a bronze platform, five cubits long, five cubits wide and three cubits high, and had placed it in the center of the outer court. He stood on the platform and then knelt down before the whole assembly of Israel and spread out his hands toward heaven.
14 He said: “Lord, the God of Israel, there is no God like you in heaven or on earth—you who keep your covenant of love with your servants who continue wholeheartedly in your way. 15 You have kept your promise to your servant David my father; with your mouth you have promised and with your hand you have fulfilled it—as it is today.

16 “Now, Lord, the God of Israel, keep for your servant David my father the promises you made to him when you said, ‘You shall never fail to have a successor to sit before me on the throne of Israel, if only your descendants are careful in all they do to walk before me according to my law, as you have done.’ 17 And now, Lord, the God of Israel, let your word that you promised your servant David come true.

18 “But will God really dwell on earth with humans? The heavens, even the highest heavens, cannot contain you. How much less this temple I have built! 19 Yet, Lord my God, give attention to your servant’s prayer and his plea for mercy. Hear the cry and the prayer that your servant is praying in your presence. 20 May your eyes be open toward this temple day and night, this place of which you said you would put your Name there. May you hear the prayer your servant prays toward this place. 21 Hear the supplications of your servant and of your people Israel when they pray toward this place. Hear from heaven, your dwelling place; and when you hear, forgive.

Daily Devotions for 1st November, 2018

How Does God Guide?

Morning
Look Upward and Pray to hear and receive from God, the Holy Spirit

Reading : PSALM 119 verses 105-112
Meditation : take time and consider these words this morning
What is God teaching you today?

Pray in response to what you have read and considered

LORD God
Father, Son and Holy Spirit
Hear my prayer this morning
And lead me aright through this day I ask
…in Jesus’ Name.
Amen.

Midday
Pray God’s blessing on the Big Alpha course tonight
O Father God…bless each and all we ask who will be there.

Evening
Reading : read these verses again
Reflect on the words and then Pray in response as the Spirit leads you
In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Together We Pray

As part of the national call to pray together from the Church of Scotland, today we share in the Moderator’s Prayer.

A Prayer for the Church
From the Right Rev Susan Brown, Moderator.

You who led your people through the wilderness to the promised land,
who carried the faithful through the throes of Good Friday to the joy of Easter Day:
Hear us as we pray for your people today,
in this land
and at this time…

When we fear what lies ahead,
when we feel overwhelmed by the task of pointing people to your love and mercy:
Remind us that you are a living God,
still at work,
still planning and still promising…

When our heads go down
and our shoulders droop:
Lift our eyes
that they may look into yours
and see there a love
that will not
ever
let us go

AMEN

Daily Devotions for November 2018

‘Your word is a lamp to guide me and a light for my path.’
Psalm 119 verse 105

During November we take the time each day to spend with God and His Word as we follow the Sunday morning series WHY…? and continue the Big ALPHA themes – pausing in prayer at our times of Midday Devotion for others in our church family, our city and our world at this time of the year.
The online Sunday evening devotion now also includes a Celtic Prayer.

We are all encouraged to listen for God’s voice and make our response as we continue together in our ‘rhythm of devotion’ during 2018.

The Devotions are but one way to feed on God’s Word in the morning, at midday, in the evening… to pray with Him continually through your day and even to share with others the treasures or hurdles you discover.
The Church website and Facebook page (even on a handy mobile) provide a fuller daily devotional page. However it all follows the pattern below which the information provided fits into, based on the Kirk’s origins of the Celtic and Northumbrian traditions.

Morning
Reading and Meditation on the content and Prayer of response
Midday
Prayer – mostly for others
Evening
Verse(s) from the morning reading
Reflection and Prayer at the end of the day

A Prayer for the Month of November

Spirit of God
Speak
To us
To me
By name
Through Your Word
Day by day
That we might
Know You better
Love You more
Follow You closer
Serve you fully
In Jesus’ name
Amen

The Lord’s Prayer

Our Father, who art in heaven
Hallowed be Your Name.
Your kingdom come
Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread
And forgive us our sins
As we forgive those who sin against us.
Lead us not into temptation
But deliver us from evil.
For Yours is the kingdom, the power and the glory.
Now and for ever
Amen