Skip to main content

October 2013 Prayer Column

Image
By

Cats will be cats

Some neighbours have been on holiday, and Jean’s been feeding their cats.  One’s deaf, the other’s devious, and both are catesquely contrary. In the morning they hide and won’t come out.  In the evening they play busy and won’t come in, however coaxed with food, yet next day complain about nocturnal neglect.  And care has to be taken to stop one eating the other’s food as well as its own.  You can learn a lot about prayer from cats.

For instance, have you ever noticed how frequently we go our own way and yet expect to be looked after, miaowing angrily or piteously to the Lord when things catch up with us?  And that bit about “Give us each day our daily bread...”: we don’t usually add “and our neighbours’ too”, but our actions might imply it.  And as to being deaf – well, aren’t we often deaf to what the Lord has to say to us?  Good at yowling our requests, and even rubbing ourselves against the Lord’s legs to get our own way (with a spot of affection, granted, as we glance meaningfully at the tins of goodies on the celestial shelves).  But less good at doing what we’re told.

It isn’t as if we’re entirely indifferent to God.  I’m not suggesting that.  But if we haven’t listened – and acted on what we’ve heard – then our ritual offerings are likely to be as welcome as dead mice on the doormat.  You expect cats to be cats, of course, and true to their nature.  But similarly,  aren’t Christians expected to be true to their new nature, in the Spirit of their risen Lord?

Roy Lorrain-Smith

A prayer for each week

Lord of community, who formed us to make relationships, with you and each other, thank you for neighbours.  Please help us to be neighbourly, according to the needs of the moment, and in the Spirit of Jesus. Amen.

Lord of communication, who gave us the gift of words, please help us to speak openly, honestly and caringly with one another, and to listen with the same attention as we hope for, through Jesus our Lord.  Amen.

Lord of provision, who created us within a world of resources and harvest, please help us to provide for each other, at home, next door and across the global village, with thankfulness and compassion.  Amen.

Lord of the night and the day, who made us creatures within a world of time, please help us to live each moment of today under your guidance, gratefully, as you alone know all our tomorrows unto eternity.  Amen.

Your own prayers
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Virtual Worship - 13 February 2022

By
Welcome to worship with the Bradford North Methodist Circuit this morning. This service will be shared this morning by Rev Nick Blundell and the members and friends at Bolton Methodist Church. Service Sheet   (pdf) Call to worship We are blessed to be here today. We are blessed to be together today. We are blessed to be a family. We are blessed that God is with us. Let us enjoy God’s blessing as we worship today. Lord, thank you that we are blessed. Help us to recognise all that you have given to us. We pray that not only will we reflect on your blessings we will also seek to be a blessing to others, with your help and in your name. Amen. Hymn You might like to sing, or reflect on David J Evans’ hymn at Singing the Faith 20, Be still. for the presence of the Lord, the Holy One, is here. Prayers Father, we worship and adore you for the light you bring to this dreary time of year, when we long for spring. Thank you for the blessing of every shoot and bud, the reminders of your...
Post a Comment
Read more

April 2014 Prayer Column

By
Prayer for Bradford City and Surrounds What are we all doing for our contribution for the p4b Lenten prayer, on your chosen day – Monday or Tuesday 14-15 th April ? Here are some ideas Get a picture of the place, or the bit that matters most to you: ·          Look at a map: see where you are, and your neighbouring areas ·          Collect some photos: places, faces, events, memories ·          Stand at a viewpoint over the area you want to focus on ·          Take a walk through the area, or a bus, or even drive Listen to what’s going on in the area: ·          Scan the T&A or freebie local paper, Look North, Calendar, radio ·          Listen to what they’re saying  at bus stops, shop queues, etc. ·  ...
Post a Comment
Read more

Virtual Worship - 6 February 2022

By
Service Sheet (pdf) Welcome to worship wherever you are in the Circuit, come and join i n with the people of Allerton as we gather to worship God together. In a pretty setting opposite Ladywood Park, overlooking green space and its own graveyard, the congregation gathers from the surrounding area, a mix of faces, cultures and traditions, coming together to worship God. Call to worship: Come and worship the Lord: Cry, Holy, holy, holy! Come and praise the name of our God: The whole earth is full of his glory! Song We begin with HP 9/StF 55 Immortal, invisible, God only wise, praising God in his glory. Prayers We worship you, God of all: high above us, your glory more than we could bear to see. You have formed and shaped our world; and we look up and see the grandeur of the mountains, the power of the seas, the distant stars, the long-lived trees, and we marvel. Yet your love is also poured out upon the lowliest of creatures, insects that live but a day, sea creatures never seen by hum...
Post a Comment
Read more