Daily Share-a-Prayer w/e 22/06/2025
Derek Mill
Worship Leader, All Saints Church, Belton
Sunday 22nd June
Heavenly Father, there have been a number of occasions this week when I have been able to get out and do things because of the generosity of others. There must be many people who rely on 'sitters' so they can go out as they can't leave someone in the family unattended
Quite often they are babysitters or childminders, but not always. It can be an adult who needs care or possibly a parcel is being delivered and needs to be signed for. Whatever the reason one person is giving of their time to stand in place of another
This can also be the case when someone says, "I will pray for you". This can be praying about a particular situation, but can also be praying in the place of someone who is unable to pray for themselves. This 'devotion to duty' can often go way beyond a single prayer or a single day; sometimes prayer, like care, can go on for days, weeks, months or even years. Not only do people give of their time in prayer and care, sometimes simply 'sitting' but often they do so missing out themselves in some way
Someone stood in for me this week and missed a meeting so I could go out. Someone spent money in order to get to my house to take over tasks I would normally be doing, to give me a break. Another person helps regularly by doing the ironing; another comes to change the sheets on the beds. A couple of people come who are paid for their labour, but the care and kindness they show is beyond their pay. I can only go to worship today because someone else is sacrificing their time so I can go
Lord Jesus, please bless all those who give of their time, energy and money to be a blessing to another. May they be aware of Your presence and Your pleasure at what they do. Whatever we do for another, we do for You. As You said: "Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me". Thank You
Amen
Songs for today:
Harvest of Grace
Brother let me be your servant
From Heaven You came (The Servant King)
From the stable to the cross
Saturday 21st June
Heavenly Father, this was the 'Collect' that was near the end of Morning Prayer on Thursday. "Lord Jesus Christ, we thank you that in this wonderful sacrament you have given us the memorial of your passion: grant us so to reverence the sacred mysteries of your body and blood that we may know within ourselves and show forth in our lives the fruits of your redemption; for you are alive and reign with the Father in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. All: Amen”
I wondered what the difference was between a prayer and a 'Collect’? I found this answer online: "A collect is simply a prayer meant to combine the people's intentions and the focus of worship into a succinct prayer". Succinct? There followed a description of the structure established by Thomas Cranmer in 1549: "First, there is an address to God and to his character or actions in the world on our behalf. Second, there is a request. Third there in an invocation and doxology. Finally there is the Amen"
Wow! The thing is Lord, I found myself confused by the Collect on Thursday, I had to stop, go back and almost translate it into words I could understand! So I pray: "Lord Jesus, thank You for Your incredible sacrifice that we remember every day. Thank You for all that You did for us on the cross, the forgiveness and healing that was paid for by Your blood. This is such a mystery we may never fully understand it. By the fruit of Your Holy Spirit in our lives may people come to know You are alive and be saved. Thank You, Father, Son and Holy Spirit; One God, now and forever. Amen"
When I go back to the collect, it makes much more sense to me now. Perhaps it's just me? Thank You for making me stop and think, rather than mouth words I didn't really understand
Amen
Songs for today:
Sing of Your love
All praise belongs
When we pray
Father hear the prayer we offer
Friday 20th June
Heavenly Father, I had this thought cross my mind: "I'm a Christian so I go to church. I am not a Christian because I go to church". Just because I go to a wedding doesn't mean I am getting married. Just because I go to a football match doesn't mean I am playing the game. I can go as an onlooker, a spectator
However, I can go to church and be completely involved in everything that is happening! I can be at the centre of everything because of my relationship with Jesus. The same can be true for anyone, everyone who is involved in a relationship with You. Just being there isn't enough. What matters is where my heart is
Lord Jesus, You said: "Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." I must make You my treasure, I must make sure my heart is Yours. I know there are times when I am selfish; there are times when I don't put You first. Because You love me, You forgive me and our relationship is restored. I am reconciled to You because of what You did on the cross
There are times when things don't go my way, and I may even blame You, but I realise that what You do is about more than just me, and I forgive You, if that is the right term. In my earthly marriage the same is true; I am sometimes selfish, but my wife forgives me and we move on. We don't stop loving each other, and You don't stop loving us
I may not be the groom at the wedding, I may not be centre forward at the football, but I can be fully involved by putting my heart into it; supporting the bride and groom, cheering on my team
Lord, when I come to church, help me to be completely committed to You in every moment, in liturgy, prayer, praise and worship. And Jesus, when the church service is over, help me to live my life completely committed to You, in prayer, praise, and worship, in all that I do and say. Thank You
Amen
Songs for today:
Centre of it all
Jesus be the centre
The heart of worship
Thursday 19th June
Heavenly Father, my prayer yesterday about spiritual matters reflected in the physical, got me thinking about other things we need. I came up with a few thoughts: oxygen, light, sight, hearing, a voice, a brain, thoughts, a moral compass (conscience), hope, a vision... I just had two others come into my mind: other people and You
Thank You that we are made in Your image. There is a programme on TV called 'Grand Designs' which follows building projects from the planning stage to completion. I'm pretty certain that none of them can match Your 'Grand Design': the Universe, the Earth, human beings, the whole of Creation. From the hugest massive things, down to us and even the microbes, everything started in Your mind and then You brought it into being
Looking at my list, I don't suppose You need anything, although when You walked the earth You needed the things we did, at least scripture seems to indicate that. I know You got hungry and thirsty, and I know You could see and hear and speak. I know You had a brain and thoughts, and You definitely had a conscience, hope, and a vision. And You surrounded Yourself with twelve close disciples, as well as other people not listed in the twelve. And You needed God, Your Father, and spoke to Him regularly
We are told in the Bible: "Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where He prayed". The prayer You taught begins: "Our Father in Heaven..." When You raised Lazarus from the dead You said: "Father, I thank You that You have heard me..." And on the cross You said, among other things: "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing... My God, my God, why have You forsaken me? ... Father, into Your hands I commend my spirit"
Thank You for linking Yourself to us, becoming one of us, for giving us hope and a vision so we will not perish, but will spend eternity with You. One thing we really need is a person, a Saviour: Jesus
Amen
Songs for today:
Great are You Lord (It's your breath in our lungs)
True Joy
Thank You Lord for Your blessings on me
Wednesday 18th June
Heavenly Father, I was aware as I was walking around the village yesterday of how hot it was and how I could really do with a drink. As I walked I thought I heard You say to me "Spiritual dehydration"
As I pondered on this last night, and through the night, I wondered how much physical life reflects spiritual life? We need food to live and Jesus described Himself as the Bread of Life. "I AM the Bread of Life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty"
Lord Jesus, when You met a Samaritan woman at a well You said to her: "If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked Him and He would have given you living water... whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life”. Bread and water, essential for living and essential for eternal life. It is obvious that You were not talking about physical matters but spiritual.
When we don't eat and drink we become weary, fatigued, and find it hard to focus and live well. When we don't come to You regularly, spend time in Your presence, feeding and drinking in Your Word, we become spiritually exhausted, and in similar fashion we can't focus and live right
I find when I am hungry and thirsty physically, I become more irritable, likely to say things I later regret. When I don't meet with You, receive from You, I get spiritually hungry; I find it harder to live a good life that gives glory to You. Just as You gave the Israelites manna in the desert to keep them alive, and water from the rock, so You give us what we need to survive in this life
Lord, thank You for feeding me today so I am ready to live life to the full and give glory to You. You restore my soul
Amen
Songs for today:
I'm breaking Lord hear my cry
No one ever cared for me like Jesus
You restore my soul
Let Your Living Water flow over my soul
I am the bread of Life
Tuesday 17th June
Heavenly Father, thank You for laughter! It is one of Your greatest gifts to mankind, alongside music and singing; and tears. Thank You that over many years of trials and tribulations there have been many tears, but also there has been much laughter. Often, in fact, the tears have not been of sadness but because of laughter
I suppose most jokes are at someone's expense, the 'butt of the joke' as it were, but just as often it is because of a situation or some twist in language, a pun, a play on words. An oft used quote is 'Live, Love, Laugh' and in our house we have a sign reminding us: "Live well. Love much. Laugh often"
Another thing we often hear people say is: "Laughter is the best medicine". Your Word says something similar: "A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones". I love the picture You use to show how You will restore Your Kingdom; it is so funny, but has a deep meaning
The prophet Ezekiel was taken by the Holy Spirit to a valley full of dry bones. You said to him: "Son of man, can these bones live?" Ezekiel replied, "Sovereign Lord, You alone know". You told him: "Prophesy to these bones and say to them, 'Dry bones, hear the Word of the Lord! This is what the Sovereign Lord says to these bones: I will make breath enter you and you will come to life'". Then there was a rattling sound as the bones connected and came to life. This prophetic Word is for Israel, but also for everyone who calls on the Name of the Lord. You make our dead bodies come back to life
We were dead in our sins but You have brought life to us through Jesus, life in all fullness. One day we will laugh with You in Heaven. Thank You that the joy of the Lord is my strength. I love to laugh!
Amen
Songs and comedy clip for today:
Silent letters Michael McIntyre
I love laughing (Mary Poppins)
The joy of the Lord is my strength
Let everything that has breath praise the Lord
Let ev'rything that, ev'rything that
Ev'rything that has breath praise the Lord
Monday 16th June
Heavenly Father, thank You for reminding me to not get bitter. When things don't go the way I want them to, I could get bitter, but You remind that Your Way is better. I have to remember that I may not be right! There will be times when I am wrong, of that I can be certain!
Experience has taught me that I have been wrong about so many things in the past, so I will also get things wrong in the future. I know I used to believe that You didn't even exist; I was wrong about that! I used to think that You were like some sort of nasty policeman, waiting to pounce on me if I did anything wrong, ready to cast me into hell; I got that wrong too! I used think that Christians were just weak people who needed a crutch to lean on; I was wrong about that; we are ALL weak people who need a crutch to lean on
We can struggle on, of course, trying to deal with problems each day brings, trying to understand why life is so hard, trying to fight everything and everyone standing against us; bashing our head against a brick wall and then wondering why we have a headache? Your advice to us is this: "Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice." And instead of this You tell us to do something better! "Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you." Don't get bitter get better!
You speak very clearly to me about this, even if I am right: "Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written: 'It is mine to avenge; I will repay,' says the Lord. On the contrary: 'If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this you will heap burning coals on his head'. Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good". I'm not sure I want burning coals on anyone's head, even metaphorically! Just help me Lord to deal with things in Your Way. Thank You
Amen
Songs for today:
Don't get bitter get better
Your Way's better
Whatever Your plan is
all songs (usually with lyrics) and talks courtesy of YouTube
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