Weekly Bible Study Notes and Worship Resources for Ordinary 14
Year C, Colour = Green
Ordinary 14 Year C
Introduction
Jesus loved children, he welcomed them and blessed them. Yet he expected his followers to become spiritual adults and take on the responsibilities appropriate for adult and mature Christians. Sadly many Christians do not mature in their faith, they remain as infants in their faith and refuse to face up to the duties which being a disciple bring. The words of Jesus in the Gospel passage today are a wake up call and a command by him that we must be a part of his mission imperative to the world.
People often think of their faith from the point of view of what they can get out of it. Prayer is sometimes seen as a way of asking God for things for ourselves and others; the gift of material blessings or good health. Such immaturity leads to great disappointment when we do not receive the things from God that we imagine his benevolence will prompt him to shower upon us. In the passage today Jesus gives a clue to the kinds of prayer that Christians should be concerned with—the mission of the church, commitment of Christian workers. The prayer we are encouraged by Jesus to make is for the spiritual needs of others to be met, not our own.
Opening Verse of Scripture Psalm 52
But I am like a green olive tree in the house of God. I trust in the steadfast love of God forever and ever. I will thank you forever, because of what you have done. In the presence of the faithful I will proclaim your name, for it is good.
Collect Prayer for the Day—Before we read we pray
Almighty God, you have broken the tyranny of sin and have sent the Spirit of your Son into our hearts whereby we call you Father: give us grace to dedicate our freedom to your service, that we and all creation may be brought to the glorious liberty of the children of God; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. CW
God our saviour,
look on this wounded world
in pity and in power;
hold us fast to your promises of peace
won for us by your Son,
our Saviour Jesus Christ. CW
First Bible Reading Isaiah Chapter 66:10-14
Rejoice with Jerusalem, and be glad for her, all you who love her; rejoice with her in joy, all you who mourn over her – that you may nurse and be satisfied from her consoling breast; that you may drink deeply with delight from her glorious bosom. For thus says the LORD: I will extend prosperity to her like a river, and the wealth of the nations like an overflowing stream; and you shall nurse and be carried on her arm, and dandled on her knees. As a mother comforts her child, so I will comfort you; you shall be comforted in Jerusalem.You shall see, and your heart shall rejoice; your bodies shall flourish like the grass; and it shall be known that the hand of the LORD is with his servants, and his indignation is against his enemies. NRSV
Second Reading Galatians Chapter 6:7-16
Do not be deceived; God is not mocked, for you reap whatever you sow. If you sow to your own flesh, you will reap corruption from the flesh; but if you sow to the Spirit, you will reap eternal life from the Spirit. So let us not grow weary in doing what is right, for we will reap at harvest time, if we do not give up. So then, whenever we have an opportunity, let us work for the good of all, and especially for those of the family of faith.See what large letters I make when I am writing in my own hand! It is those who want to make a good showing in the flesh that try to compel you to be circumcised – only that they may not be persecuted for the cross of Christ. Even the circumcised do not themselves obey the law, but they want you to be circumcised so that they may boast about your flesh. May I never boast of anything except the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. For neither circumcision nor uncircumcision is anything; but a new creation is everything! As for those who will follow this rule peace be upon them, and mercy, and upon the Israel of God. NRSV
Gospel Reading Luke 10:1 -11,16-20
The Lord appointed seventy others and sent them on ahead of him in pairs to every town and place where he himself intended to go. He said to them, ‘The harvest is plentiful, but the labourers are few; therefore ask the Lord of the harvest to send out labourers into his harvest. Go on your way. See, I am sending you out like lambs into the midst of wolves. Carry no purse, no bag, no sandals; and greet no one on the road. Whatever house you enter, first say, “Peace to this house!” And if anyone is there who shares in peace, your peace will rest on that person; but if not, it will return to you. Remain in the same house, eating and drinking whatever they provide, for the labourer deserves to be paid. Do not move about from house to house. Whenever you enter a town and its people welcome you, eat what is set before you; cure the sick who are there, and say to them, “The kingdom of God has come near to you.” But whenever you enter a town and they do not welcome you, go out into its streets and say, “Even the dust of your town that clings to our feet, we wipe off in protest against you. Yet know this: the kingdom of God has come near.”
Whoever listens to you listens to me, and whoever rejects you rejects me, and whoever rejects me rejects the one who sent me.’The seventy returned with joy, saying, ‘Lord, in your name even the demons submit to us!’ He said to them, ‘I watched Satan fall from heaven like a flash of lightning. See, I have given you authority to tread on snakes and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy; and nothing will hurt you. Nevertheless, do not rejoice at this, that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.’ NRSV
Post Communion Prayer
O God, whose beauty is beyond our imagining and whose power we cannot comprehend: show us your glory as far as we can grasp it, and shield us from knowing more than we can bear until we may look upon you without fear; through Jesus Christ our Saviour.
Commentary
If you travel around Bedford at the moment you will see that Harvest has already started. Farmers are making the most of the fine weather we have been having and the crops are already being cut and bundled up. It is a time of year when farmers call in friends and relatives and ask them to get stuck in because they are fighting a battle against time. They want to get as much of the work done as quickly as possible, time is of the essence because if the weather breaks crops can be ruined and fortunes lost. There is no time to waste this is serious business so work now, sleep later.
This is the context in which Jesus addresses his disciples in the reading today from Luke. Jesus tells them the harvest is ready and it needs to be gathered in. There is therefore an urgency, this is serious work and it needs to be done quickly. Just like a farmer Jesus extends the work beyond the immediate twelve disciples and he send out not just twelve but seventy of them.
I suspect that some of the twelve probably wondered why Jesus was including others and not just the special ones, and I also suspect that some of the seventy were hesitant about going and would have preferred not to have to get so involved. In a way they are like us and at different times we swing from wanting to get stuck in and wishing that we could just let somebody else get on with it.
The Italian economist Vilfredo Pareto showed that 80% of Italy was owned by 20% of the population. This has become widened to express the idea of the 80/20 rule or The Paretto Principle. Essentially what is says is that 80% of the results can be attributed to 20% of the people. In Christian ministry that means that
20% of the Christians volunteer 80% of the work
20% of the Christians give 80% of the offering
It is interesting that some manuscripts say that Jesus sent out 70 and others say it was 72. The number is most likely meant to look back to Genesis where we find a list of Gentile nations descended from Noah. In Hebrew 70 nations are listed whilst in the Septuagint, the Greek translation, it was recorded as 72. The inference which we are expected to draw is that Jesus is sending out the same number of messengers as there are nations. If that is the case then once again we see a very clear message from Jesus that his mission is not confined to the Jewish people.
If Jesus had sent out just the twelve then that would have been just over the 20%, instead he sends out 70 and Jesus is making the point that this mission to spread the gospel is shared between all of his people and it is for all people.
Another piece of information from the Old Testament is from Deuteronomy where two witnesses are required for authentic testimony. Our Old Testament was the Bible of Jesus and he lives and breathes those scriptures, so we can be sure little details like this have significance they would not have been lost on him or his disciples.
The single mindedness which Jesus impresses with the analogy of the harvest is further reinforced by the instructions which Jesus gives to the disciples concerning how they should travel and how they should carry out the missionary task. They should travel light because he doesn’t want them hanging around. They have work to do and they must not waste time. They travel light by only taking minimal supplies, not even money. They are to trust God for their needs and they are to recognise that as God is sending them out he will equip them for the task.
This is both a frightening and reassuring command. On the one hand they are going to wonder where the next meal is coming from, but on the other hand this is the first step in recognising that they are not responsible for this work - God is. They are called to be faithful and do as they are told, they are not to think that they are God’s salesmen. If they go and they find that people listen then that is great, if however people show no interest then they should just move on. It isn’t that they should be impolite or aggressive, this is not a ‘take it or leave it’ approach. They are told to enter houses and bring the message of God’s peace. They go to all people indiscriminately and without judgement they offer the good news, but if it is rejected they just move on.
We are told that the disciples spread this message by both their words and their deeds. They are to show compassion to those who are sick. The Christian Gospel is always most effective when expressed in action as well as spoken. To speak words of the love of Christ meaningfully to those who are hungry, homeless, bereaved, afraid, poor or in any kind of need, we must also show the compassion as indeed did Jesus. The words of Jesus in Matthew 25 are clear
For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me.” Then the righteous will answer him, “Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry and gave you food, or thirsty and gave you something to drink? And when was it that we saw you a stranger and welcomed you, or naked and gave you clothing? And when was it that we saw you sick or in prison and visited you?” And the king will answer them, “Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me.”
The passage concludes with Jesus speaking about power over snakes and scorpions. You have probably see on the television some people in America who have chosen to take this literally! It is not to be advised, any more literally than chopping off bits of your body which cause you to sin. However there is an important message about the power of God. The Christian who serves God has nothing to fear for there is no greater authority or power.
Last week I attended the pilgrimage for St Alban, Britain’s first saint from the early third century and a powerful witness. As he stood before the Roman magistrates he proclaimed
I am called Alban and I worship and adore the true and living God who created all things
Alban is honoured as Britain’s first saint, but his story is of an ordinary man doing an ordinary thing which brought about an amazing testimony and a significant witness that has lasted through the centuries. We might not be called to such sacrifice, but we can all reflect upon how we might become a part of the 20%! Charles Royden
Meditation
Puccini
Composer Giacomo Puccini wrote a number of famous operas. In
1922 he was suddenly stricken by cancer while working on his last opera, "Turandot,"
which many now consider his best. Puccini said to his students, "If I don't
finish 'Turandot,' I want you to finish it for me." Shortly afterwards he
died. Puccini's students studied opera carefully and soon completed it. In
1926 the world premiere of "Turandot" was performed in Milan with Puccini's
favorite student, Arturo Toscanini, directing. Everything went beautifully
until the opera reached the point where Puccini had been forced to put down
his pen. Tears ran down Toscanini's face. He stopped the music, put down his
baton, turned to the audience and cried out, "Thus far the Master wrote, but
he died." A vast silence filled the opera house. Toscanini picked up the
baton again, smiled through his tears and exclaimed, "But his disciples
finished his work." When "Turandot" ended, the audience broke into
thunderous applause. No one at the premiere performance ever forgot that
moment.
A Parody “Butt prints in the sand”. One night I had a wondrous dream.
One set of foot prints there were seen. The foot prints of my precious Lord,
but mine were not along the shore. But then some stranger prints appeared. I
asked the Lord, “What have we here?” These prints are large and round and
neat but Lord, they are too big for feet. My child he said in sombre tones.
For miles I carried you alone. I challenged you to walk in faith but you
refused and made me wait. You disobeyed, you would not grow; the walk of
faith you would not know. So I got tired, I got fed up and there I dropped
you on your butt. Because in life there comes a time when one must fight and
one must climb. When one must rise and take a stand…or leave your butt
prints in the sand.
Hymns
- Glorious things of thee are spoken (Tune Austria)
- I the Lord of sea and sky
- Judge eternal
- We have a gospel to proclaim
- Go forth and tell
Prayers for Sunday and the week ahead
"Prayer is a plant, the seed of which is sown in the heart of every Christian.
If it is well cultivated and nourished it will produce fruit, but if it is neglected, it will wither and die."
Intercessions
Holy God, in whom we live and move and have our being, we make our prayers to you.
Guide our nation in the days and months ahead to walk the paths of peace and reconciliation.
Give to our leaders wisdom and sensitivity to work for unity and the common good.
Mend broken relationships and restore to wholeness whatever has been damaged by heated debate.
You are Sovereign of all. You created the world without national borders. You created us as one people on one planet. But we have divided and fractured, scattered and marginalized. Draw us together by the one Spirit. Draw us together in Your One Love. Draw us together, so that we might understand that Your love knows no bounds. For we are all part of Your beloved community; we all belong to You.
God of justice and love, your way commands our obedience. We can do nothing apart from the blessings you bestow. We offer our lives and these our gifts to You. We pray that the work of Your church may be enlarged, enriched and strengthened as it seeks to do your will and to show compassion, justice, and mercy in our world of need. Accept what we bring, and multiply its effectiveness, through Christ our Lord. Amen.
O Lord, save us from self-centredness in our prayers and help us to remember to pray for others. May we be so lovingly absorbed with those for whom we pray that we may feel their needs as keenly as our own, and intercede for them sensitively, with understanding and imagination.
Sustain and support the anxious and fearful and lift up all who are dejected.
We remember those we have loved but see no more and pray for those left behind to grieve for a while and then to continue on life’s journey knowing that it will not be the same in many different ways.
Help us all to show to the bereaved our love and compassion and to share the certain knowledge that
With you, Lord, is the well of life and in your light do we see light.
Prayers
You are Sovereign of all. You created the world without national borders. You created us as one people on one planet. But we have divided and fractured, scattered and marginalized. Draw us together by the one Spirit. Draw us together in Your One Love. Draw us together, so that we might understand that Your love knows no bounds. For we are all part of Your beloved community; we all belong to You. In the name of the Creator, Redeemer, and Sustainer, we pray. Amen.
"I will thank (God) for the pleasures given me through my senses, for the glory of the thunder, for the mystery of music, the singing of the birds and the laughter of children… Truly, O Lord, the earth is full of thy riches! " --- Edward King (1829-1910) Bishop of Lincoln
God of fresh beginnings, you make all things new in the wisdom of Jesus Christ. Make us agents of your transforming power and heralds of your reign of justice and peace, that all may share in the healing Christ brings. Amen.
Father, may everything we do begin with your inspiration and continue with your saving help. Let our work always find its origin in you and through you reach completion. Amen
God of justice and love, your way commands our obedience. We can do nothing apart from the blessings you bestow. We offer our lives and these our gifts to You. We pray that the work of Your church may be enlarged, enriched and strengthened as it seeks to do your will and to show compassion, justice, and mercy in our world of need. Accept what we bring, and multiply its effectiveness, through Christ our Lord. Amen.
O Lord, save us from self-centredness in our prayers and help us to remember to
pray for others. May we be so lovingly absorbed with those for whom we pray that
we may feel their needs as keenly as our own, and intercede for them
sensitively, with understanding and imagination. We ask this in Christ’s name.
Amen (after John Calvin 1509-64)
Whether I fly with angels, fall with dust,/ Thy hands made both and I am there:
/ Thy power and love, my love and trust / Make one place everywhere. (George
Herbert 1593-1633)
Create within us, O God, a longing to obey your commandments and a thankfulness for all your mercies. Let us honour you in the thoughts of our hearts, let us glorify you in the words we speak and let us magnify you in the things that we do; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen John Wesley (1703-1791)
Additional Resources
Commentary
The seventy-two disciples were thrown into the deep end by Jesus, no doubt feeling rather like lambs set free amongst a pack of wolves (Luke 10:3) as they set out without even the basic equipment for travelling. Of course, we quickly, realise that the point behind doing this was to make them walking advertisements for the truth they were proclaiming: the presence of the Kingdom of God. If God could heal the sick through their hands, then God would surely protect and provide for them. It also meant that those people who gave hospitality to these messengers were also becoming involved in, and so part of, the mission and thus obtaining the peace which the messengers were bringing from God (verse 6).
Not all approaches to mission adopt this method, but the principle of the walking advertisement is essential. If we look at the Galatians reading, then we can see that Paul is also a walking advertisement for 'The Way' as Christianity was first known. However, Paul follows a different pattern in his missionary activities: he refused to accept hospitality from the people he visited, but insisted on supporting himself. However, the reason he gave for adopting this approach actually turned it into an advertisement. For Paul, the gospel was good news, and he wanted to preach it to everyone and make him or her aware that it came free of charge (1 Corinthians 9:14-18).
Of course, not everyone will be called to a travelling mission of the type contained in Luke, but the principle of the walking advertisement does apply to us. We can all look outwards, as Paul wrote in today's Epistle reading: 'While we have opportunity, let us do good to all, particularly to those who belong to the household of faith' (verse 10). He warned the Galatians against a bad method of doing mission, exemplified I his opponents, who had been trying to persuade the Galatians to be circumcised: 'They want you to be circumcised, so that they may boast in your flesh!' (verse 13). Scalp-hunting, gong-hunting, call it what you will, is bad mission. However, Paul himself promoted a different model. Paul was so much in love with Jesus Christ as his Lord and Saviour, so aware of the new creation which he had experienced through Christ, that he could not keep silent about the cross: he simply had to boast about it (verses 14-15). He spoke the peace of the missionary on all who would live by this rule (verse 16).
For many of us, our opportunities are limited, just as they were for the little Israelite slave girl who served Naaman's wife, as found in the Old Testament reading set for today. How much did a slave's opinion count in the affairs of nations? However, the slave-girl knew what she knew, and she did not keep silent, because she loved the people she served, even though they had forcibly taken her away from her own family and country. 'If only my master would see the prophet who is in Samaria! He would cure him of his leprosy' (verse 3). He integrity and genuineness shone so brightly that the great commander believed her, and set off, willing to spend a fortune. She was truly a walking advertisement.
Well, what about us as walking advertisements? We can start by reaching out to each other, helping one another, bearing one another's burdens, to 'fulfil the law of Christ' (Galatians 6:2). But when we have learned to be able to do that, then there is a world of need waiting to feel our touch as we reach out in the name of Christ, whose cross can bring such hope in darkness.
The world still needs such walking advertisements, of people full of faith and love in Christ: people who are inspired by the vision of Isaiah 66: 10-14 (alternative reading for today)- of a world drawn out of hostility into comfort and love by the call of God in Christ. Can we become a better walking advertisement? The Reverend Peter Littleford
Prayer
Lord it is right and good to give you our thanks and praise, O God, for you have raised us up as a new creation and written our names in the book of life. You created the earth in your goodness and its plentiful harvest feeds your creatures. Through the law and prophets you revealed yourself as the God who heals us and makes us whole. Through Christ Jesus, whom you have robed in glory, you deliver us from the power of sin and death and send us as labourers into the harvest to proclaim your nearness, to immerse people into your healing waters, and to reap eternal life in your Spirit.
We pray to you Lord for your church and it's mission - the mission you have entrusted to us. Help us to be bold for you in the face of evil and injustice - and to show forth your healing power in the face of suffering and disease. Bless us as we share the good news of your love - that we may indeed be a blessing to others.
We pray to you Lord for the persons and situations that you have placed upon our hearts this day. Intercede, O Lord, and bring new hope, new joy, new life where it is needed. Send us as peacemakers and witnesses to your kingdom, and fill our hearts with joy in your promises of salvation; through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Meditation
In the 1930s John Dillinger escaped from prison in the United States, having been found guilty of murder and robbery. The F.B.I. identified him as "Public Enemy Number One".
Knowing that the police and the F.B.I. had records of his fingerprints, he thought he would set about getting new fingerprints so that his presence would not be detected in future. He dipped his fingers and thumbs into a bowl of acid, and went through great pain until new skin grew. After a few weeks, Dillinger tested his new fingerprints—only to find that they were identical to his old ones. No-one else will ever have the same fingerprints as me. Fingerprints are a sign that each person is unique and individual.
Let us pray:
God our Father, you made each of us unique and unrepeatable. Inspire me to live in such a way that I respect others and am ready to learn from all who are part of my life this day. Amen.
Pope John Paul II has said:
"Before God, each human being is always unique and unrepeatable, somebody thought of and chosen from eternity."
Isaac Newton said:
"In the absence of any other proof, the thumb alone would convince me of God's existence."
Meditation
Corrie ten Boom was arrested by the Gestapo in February 1944 and sent to Ravensbruck Concentration Camp. Years later, while speaking in Church, she saw the former SS guard who had tortured and humiliated her sister. After the service he came up to her “smiling broadly and with outstretched hand “Thank you for the message” he said. “Jesus has washed my sins away”. Corrie was stunned into silence. She had preached forgiveness, but could she show it, feel it towards the person who had caused such harm to her sister? For a long moment, she paused, then prayed silently. “Lord Jesus, forgive me and help me to forgive him.” As she took his hand, Corrie felt an amazing current passing from herself to the former Gestapo guard and love filled her heart. So she concluded. “I discovered that when God tells us to love our enemies he gives, along with the commandment, the love itself.” (Corrie ten Boom)
Commentary on alternate Old Testament Reading 2 Kings 5
Naaman, commander of the army of the king of Aram, was a great man and in high favour with his master, because by him the LORD had given victory to Aram. The man, though a mighty warrior, suffered from leprosy. Now the Arameans on one of their raids had taken a young girl captive from the land of Israel, and she served Naaman’s wife. She said to her mistress, ‘If only my lord were with the prophet who is in Samaria! He would cure him of his leprosy.’ So Naaman went in and told his lord just what the girl from the land of Israel had said. And the king of Aram said, ‘Go then, and I will send along a letter to the king of Israel.’
He went, taking with him ten talents of silver, six thousand shekels of gold, and ten sets of garments. He brought the letter to the king of Israel, which read, ‘When this letter reaches you, know that I have sent to you my servant Naaman, that you may cure him of his leprosy.’ When the king of Israel read the letter, he tore his clothes and said, ‘Am I God, to give death or life, that this man sends word to me to cure a man of his leprosy? Just look and see how he is trying to pick a quarrel with me.’
But when Elisha the man of God heard that the king of Israel had torn his clothes, he sent a message to the king, ‘Why have you torn your clothes? Let him come to me, that he may learn that there is a prophet in Israel.’ So Naaman came with his horses and chariots, and halted at the entrance of Elisha’s house. Elisha sent a messenger to him, saying, ‘Go, wash in the Jordan seven times, and your flesh shall be restored and you shall be clean.’ But Naaman became angry and went away, saying, ‘I thought that for me he would surely come out, and stand and call on the name of the LORD his God, and would wave his hand over the spot, and cure the leprosy! Are not Abana and Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? Could I not wash in them, and be clean?’ He turned and went away in a rage. But his servants approached and said to him, ‘Father, if the prophet had commanded you to do something difficult, would you not have done it? How much more, when all he said to you was, “Wash, and be clean”?’ So he went down and immersed himself seven times in the Jordan, according to the word of the man of God; his flesh was restored like the flesh of a young boy, and he was clean.
Then Naaman and all his attendants went back to the man of God. He stood before him and said, “Now I know that there is no God in all the world except in Israel. So please accept a gift from your servant.” The prophet answered, “As surely as the Lord lives, whom I serve, I will not accept a thing.” And even though Naaman urged him, he refused.
Commentary
So from the start of the passage today we are told that Namaan was a great man. He was commander in the Syrian army who had been successful in battle and he clearly had access to great power and wealth. However he is human just like everybody else and finds himself sick with a skin disease and in need of healing, these conditions were feared and indicated ritual uncleanness and possible divine judgement
The message of his cure comes from an unlikely source, a young slave girl testifies to the power of God working through Elisha. Namaan is desperate and so he goes to another country and takes with him valuables to buy his cleansing.
When Namaan rolls up in front of Elisha’s house with chariots gleaming, boxes of silver and gold ready to buy a cure he is accustomed to bows of honour and unquestioning obedience. If there is a prophet in Israel powerful enough to heal him, Naaman definitely has the means to persuade that prophet. He assumes that what he needs he will get. Elisha doesn’t even speak with Namaan directly, he sends a messenger ! He freely offers the cure, and it does come with a price but his God cannot be bought with worldly wealth, Namaan must offer instead his pride.
He is at first too proud to submit to the prophets medicine, which involves bathing in the Jordan seven timnes. Namaan thinks that if all that what was needed was a bath in river water then he can find better cleaner rivers in his own country. It was his servants who encouraged Namaan to think that perhaps there could be some value in putting aside his pride and doing at the prophet Elisha had suggested.
It is not easy for us to put ourselves in the place of Namaan. He was such a powerful man who was being humbled because he was so desperate to be healed. To access this healing he had to believe that a foreign God could do more than any other cure which had been suggested. He had to undergo the humiliation of being seen to reach out to an enemy and ask for help and then be further humiliated in public bathing not just once but seven times.
This is a powerful story in so many ways.
We see that even a slave girl with a few simple words can testify to the power of God in a way which moves kings.
We see the veneer of power for the fragile thing which it is when Namaan has it stripped away as he faces the truth that we are all but dust.
The servants of Namaan are able to see the possibility of truth more easily than their powerful boss. As is so often the case in biblical stories it is the weak and lowly who perceive truth.
The story also shows how the healing power of God is not confined but extends across borders and nations.
For Namman the outcome is a real transformation, not only is his outer body made clean, more significantly Elisha has brought about a change in Namaan, He confesses his new found faith and understands the grace of God.
Prayers
Dear Lord, our world knows fear, pain and distress, we easily wound and break, and so we pray for the actions of those who seek to bring healing and peace.
Our world is divided into people who belong to different groups, behave in certain ways and believe particular things, and so we pray for those who refuse to be bound by these divisions and who seek to bring respect between different communities and unity among all people created by you.
Our world is listening to voices of anger and violence, to those who seek to crush those who are of different, perhaps by faith or culture, creed or colour and so we pray for courage, to live lives characterised by choosing to love without boundaries or conditions.
Give us grace to reach out like Jesus and touch others with his perfect love in his name.
We pray for those in most need in our own families and neighbourhood, thinking of the elderly, the housebound and those in care homes, hospital and hospice and those undergoing treatment or anxiously waiting the results of tests. We also pray for those who care for them and all who bring both material and spiritual comfort at times of need. So now we share a moment of silence together as we bring before you those we know who are in need at this time. Let them feel your presence in their lives as we name them and commit them to your loving care.
Hymns
- Lord I come to you
- Give me joy
- For the beauty of the earth
- O God you search me
- Go forth and tell
- All Praise to our redeeming Lord. (St Lucius)
- Give me joy
- Immortal Invisible. (St Denio)
- For the beauty of the earth (England's Lane)