Daily Share-a-Prayer w/e 07/04/2024
Derek Mill
Worship Leader, All Saints Church, Belton
Sunday 7th April
Heavenly Father, I remember learning about 'hyperbole' when I was studying A level English Literature at school. We were told it was "exaggeration for effect" or "extravagant exaggeration"
Usually these hyperboles stretch the imagination to such limits that what is being said is obviously impossible, but it does get the idea across. In essence, the exaggeration achieves the desired effect, showing how great, or ridiculous, or amazing the incident or object or person actually is
I heard a hymn this morning that expressed Your love in hyperbole; one verse in particular: "Could we with ink the oceans fill, and were the skies of parchment made, were every stalk on earth a quill, and every man a scribe by trade, to write the love of God above, would drain the oceans dry. Nor could the scroll contain the whole, though stretched from sky to sky"
The strange thing about this hyperbole is that it is actually expressing the Truth about how great Your love is for us, and although it is extravagant, it is not exaggerated. Your Word is not averse to hyperbole!
John's Gospel ends: "Now, there are many other things that Jesus did. If they were all written down one by one, I suppose the whole world could not hold the books that would be written". I have no doubt that this would also be the Truth if time went on long enough
"O Lord, I will always sing of Your constant love; I will proclaim Your faithfulness for ever. I know that Your love will last for all time, that Your faithfulness is as permanent as the sky". Thank You for Your great love for us; no hyperbole!
Amen
Songs for today:
The Love of God
How Deep the Father's Love for Us
Saturday 6th April
Heavenly Father, I am sorry I am late meeting with You today, and have been quite often recently. It is certainly the result of too many late nights and early mornings!
Both my alarms were set but I must have heard them and then switched them off and gone straight back to sleep. As the saying goes, "We can't burn the candle at both ends". I will make sure I go to bed earlier! 'Match of the Day' will have to wait!
Sleep is part of Your creation, both for daily rest and in order to let operations take place. You even set the precedent for the latter, as Your Word tells us: "For Adam no suitable helper was found. So the Lord God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep, and while he was sleeping, He took one of the man's ribs and then closed up the place with flesh. Then the Lord God made a woman from the rib He had taken out of the man, and He brought her to the man"
Lord Jesus, we also know that You made sure You got Your rest, even in difficult circumstances. We aren't told a lot about Your sleep pattern but we do know You were asleep in a boat when a storm erupted. You tell us, "In vain you rise early and stay up late, toiling for food to eat - for He grants sleep to those He loves"
Another translation puts it this way, "It is useless to work so hard for a living, getting up early and going to bed late. For the Lord provides for those He loves, while they are asleep."
Thank You for this great blessing, sleep. You provide for us while we sleep, as You love us. May I sleep well, and at the right hours
Amen
Prayer and songs for today:
Prayer of Thanks at Bedtime
The Lord Bless You And Keep You
Thank You
Friday 5th April
Heavenly Father, sometimes children have a family background, homes, that are unstable, or even unsafe. Sometimes, due to circumstances way beyond their control, children need to be taken into care for their protection and welfare
Some are placed into the care of foster parents, people who are willing to look after children for a period of time until, either they are returned to their actual parents, or until they are adopted permanently into a new family if their birth family is not possible. Thank You for the many people who are prepared to take on the surrogate role
When we turn to Jesus, we are adopted into Your family. We are not fostered, we are adopted; this is a permanent placement. Your Word tells us that "we are God's children". You tell us: "if we are children, then we are heirs - heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ"
There is mention of sharing in Christ's suffering that we may share in His glory. As part of a family we share in everything. You liken us to a body, the body of Christ; in a family, as a body, "If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honoured, every part rejoices with it"
Jesus Himself, told the disciples, "A servant is not greater than his master. If they persecuted Me, they will persecute you also". Well, we certainly know that Jesus suffered! As part of a family we gain all the blessings, and also the suffering
Thank You for Your "Adoption Agency" provided by Jesus. Thank You for everything we receive as Your children
Amen
Songs for today:
Show Me Dear Lord
When Love Came Down To Earth
Thursday 4th April
Heavenly Father, I'll never get over the fact that You are aware of me. I'll never get over the fact that You love me so much that You died from me. I'll never get over the fact that You paid the price for all my sin. I'll never get over the fact that You know everything about me, yet You still love me. I'll never get over the fact that You love me unconditionally, that I am thoroughly loved; that I am not on probation (I was told of these last three things by my wife, who heard them from You!)
The fact that I am aware of the needs of others is entirely down to You. Before I met Jesus I never thought about others in the world who need water. Before I met Jesus I was unaware of FGM (female genital mutilation) and its terrible consequences. Before I met Jesus it never occurred to me that there were people in the world who need books to read. Before I met Jesus I didn't know, or care, that there are people who live in fear of their lives, who even give their lives, because they believe and trust in Jesus
Lord Jesus, You are the One who bears my shame. You are the One who has restored my relationship with God, my Father. You are the One who brought me to life when I was dead in my sins. You are the One who will raise me to eternal life when this life is over. You are the One who asked Your Father to send the Holy Spirit to dwell in me
Holy Spirit, You are the One who reminds me of what Jesus said, and what Jesus did. Thank You for changing my life and my destiny
Amen
Songs for today:
The One Who Bears My Shame
Enough
Never known A Love Like This
Wednesday 3rd April
Heavenly Father, thank You that "I know that my Redeemer lives, and that in the end He will stand on the earth. And after my skin has been destroyed, yet in my flesh I will see God; I, myself will see Him with my own eyes - I, and not another"
I echo these words from Scripture, first spoken with such certainty by Job, even though he endured such trials. His words, spoken centuries before the birth of Jesus, clearly speak of his Messiah; his and mine
A traditional spiritual song asks the question, "Were you there when they crucified my Lord?" And the answer for both Job and myself has to be "No!" but we can both be equally sure that our Redeemer lives! We both know this to be true because Your Holy Spirit has touched us both
Both before and after the fact, the Truth of the fact, my Redeemer lives, does not change. Because our Redeemer lives we know that after we die, after our skin has been destroyed, we will see Him with our own eyes
There is a difference between Job and me, however, he did not know the name of the Messiah, but I do: Jesus. We can however both say this, as Job said, "How my heart yearns within me!" We both long for the day we will see our Lord, face to face, and all our suffering, Job's far more than mine I have to say, our suffering will be over. We are both redeemed by the same blood, the blood of Jesus. And we know we will both see Him, because His resurrection is all the proof we need
Thank You, Jesus, for Your amazing sacrifice
Amen
Songs for today:
I Know That My Redeemer Liveth
Were You There When They Crucified My Lord
Redeemed By The Blood Of The Lamb
Tuesday 2nd April
Heavenly Father, there is a song, from the 1960's, by Johnny Kidd and the Pirates, called, "I'll never get over you" a title which sums up how so many people, millions of people, feel about Jesus. The song itself is a simple love song, but the title just resonates so much about how we feel about Jesus and what He has done for us
For some who have never known life without Jesus, born into a Christian family, there may not be a time, a moment, when their life changed. For others, like me, I can remember the moment when life changed. For me it was standing at the sink in 1986, washing up, when I heard the words, "I know that my Redeemer liveth" from Handel's 'Messiah'. At that moment I knew in my heart of hearts that this was the Truth. As we sometimes say now, "I know it in my 'knower!'"
Having wondered and wandered for some time, at that moment, it wasn't just the soprano voice, but Your voice I heard and I knew Jesus was alive. I suppose that for a while Your Spirit had been talking to me, I just didn't realise. I'd been going to church, going to Bible study, but more with the thought of tearing down Christianity rather than looking for the Truth
Instead the walls that were between came down and my life changed. So, "I'll never get over You, no, I'll never get over You, I just can't keep it a secret anymore." Now I just want to tell people about You. Open my mouth whenever the opportunity presents itself so I can tell people of Your love for us, and see a life changed. Thank You
Amen
Songs for today:
Walls Fall Down
After Me
I'll Never Get Over You
Monday 1st April
Heavenly Father, it is strange to think that one of the most beautiful pieces of music ever composed may never have been heard, other than by a privileged few, if it were not for Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart!
The "Miserere Mei Deus" by Allegri is generally regarded as one of the most heavenly pieces of music ever composed. It was decreed that the 'Miserere' should only be sung in the Papal Chapel in the Vatican, and only during Holy week. The publication or sharing of its music elsewhere was forbidden and the composition was never to leave the chapel, under threat of excommunication
But then, when has the impossible ever stopped You!? Mozart however heard the music when he visited Rome in 1770, and wrote it out perfectly, from memory, when he returned to his lodgings! The score was published in London the following year. I am not sure how true it is that Mozart wrote it all out from memory, but however it became known outside the Vatican, I for one am grateful
I find it quite disturbing that the music should have been denied to the general public in the first place. Your Word tells us, "Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows". Also You "do not show favouritism"
As Simon Peter remarked, "Truly I understand that God shows no partiality". Jesus, an even greater good and perfect gift, died for every one of us. May Your glorious gifts never be denied any of us
Amen
Songs for today:
Allegri - Miserere Mei Deus (full version)
Allegri - Miserere (shorter version)
Hallelujah - Messiah
Gratitude
Rattle
all songs (usually with lyrics) and talks courtesy of YouTube
|
