Prayer Booklet 89
Monday, 27th December, 2021
Dear Reader, I am continuing our reflections and prayers – this time to take us into 2021. I hope you are all well and finding new joy in turning your eyes and hearts to the true meaning of Christmas – in spite of the trials of life. For this week I am going to continue to share with you some of our much loved hymns. Pray before you read them (or sing them as you read) and ask God to bless you with a new sense of his grace, love and presence:
Love came down at Christmas,
Love all lovely, Love Divine;
Love was born at Christmas,
star and angel gave the sign.
Worship we the Godhead,
Love Incarnate, Love Divine;
worship we our Jesus:
but wherewith for sacred sign?
Love shall be our token,
love be yours and love be mine,
love to God and all men,
love for plea and gift and sign.
Now, pray again…
I wish you all to know the blessings of God over this Christmas time, even as we still have issues to deal with. He is Sovereign Lord. Please contact me with requests if you wish prayer. I can still send them out to the group: christistewart@btinternet.com
Tuesday 28th December, 2021
Remember: Pray before reflecting, and pray after…
Joy to the world, the Lord has come!
Let earth receive her King;
let every heart prepare Him room,
and heaven and nature sing,
and heaven and nature sing,
and heaven, and heaven and nature sing .
Joy to the world, the Saviour reigns!
Let all their songs employ;
while fields and floods, rocks, hills and plains
repeat the sounding joy,
repeat the sounding joy,
repeat, repeat the sounding joy.
He rules the world with truth and grace,
and makes the nations prove
the glories of His righteousness
and wonders of His love,
and wonders of His love,
and wonders, and wonders of His love.
Wednesday, 29th December, 2021
Remember: Pray before reflecting, and pray after…
Tell out, my soul, the greatness of the Lord!
Unnumbered blessings give my spirit voice;
tender to me the promise of his word;
in God my Saviour shall my heart rejoice.
Tell out, my soul, the greatness of his name!
Make known his might, the deeds his arm has done;
his mercy sure, from age to age the same;
his holy name, the Lord, the Mighty One.
Tell out, my soul, the greatness of his might!
Powers and dominions lay their glory by.
Proud hearts and stubborn wills are put to flight,
the hungry fed, the humble lifted high.
Tell out, my soul, the glories of his word!
Firm is his promise, and his mercy sure.
Tell out, my soul, the greatness of the Lord
To children’s children and for evermore!
As we move from our Christmas songs let us learn from them how to move towards another year praising God for his love within and around us through what has been a complicated and difficult time. Let us count our blessings and name them one by one…
Thursday 30th December, 2021
Remember: Pray before reflecting, and pray after…
Your hand, O God, has guided
Your flock, from age to age;
the wondrous tale is written,
full clear, on every page;
Your people owned Your goodness,
and we their deeds record;
and both of this bear witness:
one Church, one Faith, one Lord.
Your mercy will not fail us,
nor leave Your work undone;
with Your right hand to help us,
Your victory shall be won;
by mortals and by angels
Your name shall be adored,
and this shall be their anthem:
one Church, one Faith, one Lord.
Pray: Lord we praise you, we bless your holy name that you showed your love by coming amongst us and even now by your Holy Spirit you remain with us. Thank you for all that you are, and may we walk with you and talk with you into the days that lie ahead. Hear us as we offer our prayers in Jesus’ name. Amen
Friday 31st December, 2021
Let us end one year and look forward to another by reflecting on some of the words written by Minnie Haskins in 1908…it seems especially fitting as we have continued to deal with Covid 19 and many other difficulties…
THE GATE OF THE YEAR
‘God Knows’
And I said to the man who stood at the gate of the year:
“Give me a light that I may tread safely into the unknown.”
And he replied:
“Go out into the darkness and put your hand into the Hand of God.
That shall be to you better than light and safer than a known way.”
So I went forth, and finding the Hand of God, trod gladly into the night.
And let us follow this with a beautiful hymn of praise…
Praise, my soul, the King of heaven;
to His feet thy tribute bring;
ransomed, healed, restored, forgiven,
who like me His praise should sing?
Praise Him! Praise Him!
Praise the everlasting King.
Praise Him for His grace and favour
to our fathers in distress;
praise Him, still the same for ever,
slow to chide and quick to bless:
Praise Him! Praise Him!
glorious in His faithfulness.
Father-like He tends and spares us;
well our feeble frame He knows;
in His hands He gently bears us,
rescues us from all our foes:
Praise Him! Praise Him!
widely as His mercy flows.
Frail as summer’s flower we flourish;
blows the wind and it is gone;
but, while mortals rise and perish,
God endures unchanging on.
Praise Him! Praise Him!
Praise the high eternal One.
Angels, help us to adore Him;
ye behold Him face to face;
sun and moon, bow down before Him;
dwellers all in time and space.
Praise Him! Praise Him!
Praise with us the God of grace.
Pray: Loving God forgive us that sometimes we let our troubles overrule our desire to praise you. May we be more faithful in all our days…Amen
Saturday 1st January, 2022
Remember: Pray before reflecting, and pray after…
As with gladness men of old
did the guiding star behold,
as with joy they hailed its light,
leading onwards, beaming bright;
so, most gracious Lord, may we evermore be led to thee.
As with joyful steps they sped,
Saviour, to Thy lowly bed,
there to bend the knee before
Thee, whom heaven and earth adore;
so may we with willing feet ever seek Thy mercy-seat.
As they offered gifts most rare
at Thy homely cradle bare;
so may we with holy joy,
pure, and free from sin’s alloy,
all our costliest treasures bring, Christ, to Thee, our heavenly King.
Holy Jesus, every day
keep us in the narrow way;
and, when earthly things are past,
bring our ransomed souls at last
where they need no star to guide, where no clouds Thy glory hide.
In the heavenly country bright,
need they no created light;
Thou its light, its joy, its crown,
Thou its sun which goes not down;
there for ever may we sing alleluias to our King.
Sunday 2nd January, 2021
Remember: Pray before reflecting, and pray after…
Lord, the light of your love is shining,
In the midst of the darkness, shining;
Jesus, Light of the world, shine upon us,
Set us free by the truth You now bring us,
Shine on me, shine on me.
Shine, Jesus, shine,
Fill this land with the Father’s glory;
Blaze, Spirit, blaze,
Set our hearts on fire.
Flow, river, flow,
Flood the nations with grace and mercy;
Send forth Your word,
Lord, and let there be light.
Lord, I come to Your awesome presence,
From the shadows into Your radiance;
By the blood I may enter Your brightness,
Search me, try me, consume all my darkness.
Shine on me, shine on me.
As we gaze on Your kingly brightness
So our faces display Your likeness.
Ever changing from glory to glory,
Mirrored here may our lives tell Your story.
Shine on me, shine on me.