Skip to main content

A book full of stories - March 2016 prayer column

If history is the stories we tell about ourselves, as someone once said, could prayer be the stories we would like to be part of, with the Lord?

I praise God because I need reminding (repeatedly, till it’s part of me) that God is praiseworthy: great, good, glorious and gracious. That’s why I want to be in his story.

I ask God for help with problems because I’d rather not be in that particular episode, or if I have to be, please can it help bring about a wonderful denouement that nothing else could.

I pray for others for much the same reasons – to straighten out their bio or enrich them in ways beyond imagining (God’s stories are so astonishing in their twists, turns, and endings).

But then there’s pondering prayers, when I have to ask God what the plot actually is, because it’s sometimes easy to lose, isn’t it? What are you doing, Lord? Which way now, and with whom?

Worship can also include hindsight prayers, when I see and marvel at the narrative God is writing as he leads me, allowing for my likes and leanings, though always true to his overall theme.

And any time is thank you time: for keeping me to his plotline, through all the rival tales and rumours that might tempt me into dead ends – down to sloughs of despond; up blind alleys where the wayward prowl, or too dangerously near the edge.

Can you pray like this too?

Thank you, Lord, for writing me into your script, through Jesus, Amen.

Roy LS

A prayer for each week

Dear Lord, Great Author of all that is, please help me not to lose the plot on the way to you, through Jesus. Amen.

Dear Lord, Master Editor of all our work, please help me to accept all your amendments of my best efforts. Amen.

Dear Lord, Expert Spinner of all our yarns, please help me blend alongside all those with whom you ply me. Amen.

Dear Lord, Chief Weaver of all our plotlines, please help me accept and play each role in which you cast me. Amen.

Your own prayers

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

News from Thornton Methodist Church

Like everyone else, we are all trying to get on with life but at times it is not easy and not meeting with all our Church family can be difficult and lonely. Just before Christmas we were having services twice a month but not all people were able to attend which was very sad but we all kept in touch by text/phone it is not quite the same but it is good to talk. During Advent we put a display in the porch window of the Christmas story, adding different characters each week until all figures were assembled around the baby for the community of Thornton to see. All our children in Sunday School received an Advent calendar to let them know we were all thinking of them. We also had a Christingle service but this was very different from previous years. Masks were worn, tables set out at the required social distance and hand sanitizers available in lots of areas. People made their own Christingles from packs but instead of using fruits, wrapped fruit lollipops did the job just fine. Rev. Chris...

Virtual Worship - Easter Sunday 12 April 2020

Today’s the day - everything is changed. Death’s cave is empty, save linen cloth as calling card for Love. That life has won, and hope’s made whole, thank God! Alleluia! Christ is risen. He is risen indeed, Alleluia! Holy and risen Lord, we come to worship you on this special Easter Day. We thank you for all you have done for us. We lift our eyes to honour you, living Lord Jesus. You have overcome death; fill us with your joy and new life. Amen You might like to read, sing or listen to an Easter hymn. Perhaps  Christ the Lord is risen today, or Low in the grave he lay (H&P 193/202, StF 298/305). This is perhaps the strangest Easter Sunday we have experienced in most of our lifetimes. Not able to gather as God’s people on this holiest of days. Not able to spend time with family and friends. Not able to visit dale or coast. Yet even as restrictions bite, we affirm God’s love in Christ Jesus, and seek to help each other hear the Easter message. We gather in ...

Rock Solid

Rock Solid is the new youth club for 9-13 year olds at Wilsden Trinity Church . It aims to provide a group for older children to follow on from Wilsden Trinity’s other youth club, Friends and Heroes. Every Tuesday we meet for games, Bible stories, sweets, crafts and chats. Highlights so far include wrapping people up as mummies, making ice cream sundaes, playing Zip Zap Boing (which is as confusing as it sounds), building Easter gardens and making lava lamps. We set aside a good amount of time just for chatting, and each week we have a “Millstone, Milestone” section – each person can say if they’ve had a difficult week (millstone) or a brilliant week (milestone) and why. This has been a platform for many entertaining anecdotes and tales that the group has shared together. Rock Solid started in March 2017, and so far numbers are low. Our small group has fun, but we would love to welcome some new members! All children and young people between the ages of 9-13 can join. It is £2 on the ...