Category: Reflections

day eleven

Thy Kingdom Come

Hear

‘ Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.’ Luke 23:42 (NRSV)

Imagine

 … your five friends realising that the only person who they need to be remembered by is Jesus.

Pray

 … ‘Come Holy Spirit’ for your five friends — that they may joyfully enter the Kingdom of God and find themselves used by God to pray and act ‘ Thy Kingdom Come’.

Desire

‘ To pass through the door that leads to God’s kingdom, we must go down on our knees.’

CatherIne Doherty

 

Scripture from New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

 

day ten

Silence

Hear

‘ When the Lamb opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour.’ Revelation 8:1 (NRSV)

Imagine

 … that all heaven stops to listen in silence to your prayers for your five friends.

Pray

 … for the Holy Spirit to put on your heart the desires of heaven for your five friends.

Desire

‘ We need to find God, and he cannot be found in noise and restlessness. God is the friend of silence.’

Mother Teresa of Calcutta

day nIne

Celebrate

Hear

‘One generation commends your works to another,

and shall declare your mighty acts.

They shall celebrate the fame of your abundant goodness,

and shall sing aloud of your righteousness.’

Psalm 145:4,7

Imagine

 … the joy and celebration in heaven when those you pray for return to the Lord.

Pray

 … for yourself and those others the Lord sends to help show your five friends their route home to God, so that they would know the loving Father running to greet them.

Desire

‘ The music of the gospel leads us home.’

Frederick Faber

day eIght

Adore

Hear

‘ My beloved speaks and says to me:

“Arise, my love, my fair one, and come away;

for now the winter is past, the rain is over and gone …

Let me see your face, let me hear your voice;

for your voice is sweet, and your face is lovely.” ’

Song of Songs 2:10,11,14 (NRSV)

Imagine

 … the longing in God’s heart for your five friends to know his love. All He did for you, He did for them.

Pray

 … for the eyes of your five friends to be opened to all that Jesus offers them, and that they would turn their faces to Him and enjoy the warmth of His love.

Desire

‘ Come, Lord, stir us up and call us back. Kindle and seize us. Be our fire and our sweetness. Let us love. Let us run.’

AugustIne of Hippo

day seven

Help

Hear

‘ Blessed be the Lord, who daily bears us up;

God is our salvation.’ Psalm 68:19 (NRSV)

Imagine

 … you know your five friends — in what areas does Jesus most clearly bring them the help they need? And in receiving this how could they help others?

Pray

 … for your five friends that they would know that they never have to face anything alone, but that in their need they would call on God for help.

Desire

‘Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much.’

Helen Keller

day sIx

Pray for

Hear

‘ First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for everyone.’ 1 Timothy 2:1 (NRSV)

Imagine

 … the lives of your five friends now — where might God really find a way in?

Pray

 … for the oil of the Holy Spirit to flow into the lives of your five friends now, as you pray for specific things that you know they face.

Desire

‘The right way to pray is to stretch out our hands and ask of One who we know has the heart of a Father.’

Dietrich Bonhoeffer

day five

Offer

Hear

‘ Those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will save it.’ Luke 9:24 (NRSV)

Imagine

 … what God might bring about if the lives of these five friends were offered fully to Him.

Pray

 … for the Holy Spirit to bring an understanding of the ‘ life in all its fullness’ that will be theirs as your five friends put everything they have into the hands of God.

Desire

‘Be who God made you to be and you will set the world on fire.’

St Catherine of Siena

day three

Thanks

Hear

‘Be filled with the Spirit … giving thanks to God the Father at all times and for everything in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.’ Ephesians 5:18,20 (NRSV)

Imagine

… all that you receive from your five friends. Don’t be meagre in recognising the gift they are to you.

Pray

 … for your five friends to recognise the goodness of God in their lives, that they would turn to God in gratitude and trust.

Desire

‘Thou that hast given so much to me, Give one thing more, A grateful heart.’

George Herbert

day two

Praise

Hear

‘… we will give thanks to you forever; from generation to generation we will recount your praise.’ Psalm 79:13 (NRSV)

Imagine

 … your five friends standing beside you praising God.

Pray

 … for your five friends to be awake to all that they have already received from God in their lives, and all that He offers them in Christ, that they might praise Him.

Desire

‘There are more tears shed over answered prayers than unanswered prayers.’

St Teresa of Avila