Have you noticed how much warmer it is to wear mittens rather than gloves? When fingers are able to be close together in a mitten, they provide each other increased heat and coziness. Time outdoors on these frosty winter days, makes me very grateful for mittens to have my fingers in near association and to keep my hands insulated. Over the course of this pandemic, it has been evident that we really miss the opportunities to be close together. There is a warmth of sharing Christian love and mutual concern for each other that is not the same when we are not together in person. We have tried to find ways to stay connected and to offer each other love and support, but it is not the same as meeting together. I invite us this week to reflect on this Scripture, “And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another-and all the more as you see the Day approaching.” (Hebrews 10:24,25) A very effective way to spur one another on toward love and good deeds is to pray for each other. And even as we are looking forward to gathering together again in person, prayer can bring encouragement. When we know that we are being remembered before God in prayer and when we find times to pray together although apart, we will be encouraging each other. Please receive warm encouragement knowing that our WEDNESDAY PRAYER TOGETHER tomorrow February 2nd at 1 pm can be a a worthwhile time of trusting God to inspire us and to spur us on toward love and good deeds that will change our world.
Praying that we will freely engage in prayer that will then encourage us on toward love and good deeds, Pastor Lola
Thank You God for providing this time of prayer and for the free access we have to You as we pray together. We want this focused time of prayer to draw us closer to You and to each other. We are praying that we will not have become so accustomed to being apart that we will not value what happens when we do meet together to seek You and to worship You. We do not want to lose sight of how much we need You and each other. It seems these days that there are many things that cause division and drive people apart. Thank You that faith in You through Your Son Jesus draws us together. We are grateful that depending on You through this pandemic has resulted in us being drawn together and we have been encouraged. Our God please continue to urge us to pray for each other. Please reveal to us a unity that is only possible through Your Spirit. We think now of those who are feeling particularly lonely as this time of separation stretches on. Please move us beyond ourselves and our immediate concerns to care about and to express love for those who are lonely. Forgive us for overlooking the distress and pain of others. Forgive us for falling into thinking, “I have enough with my own problems to worry about.” God, we see in the example of Jesus Your Son, One Who did commit His life to spurring others on toward love and good deeds. We see in His example of selfless love the model for us to follow. By Your enabling grace we are praying that our lives will demonstrate love that is much more than empty words. We are praying that our awareness of each other and resulting compassion for each other will declare a love that is visible and compels people to consider Who You are and how much You love them. Please guard us against just trying to cope each day and remind us to be open to You and Your holy promptings that will allow us to know You in fresh ways. We are asking that as a result of all we are now experiencing that we will grow stronger in our faith and that we will always be encouraged to cling to You. Thank You that our shared faith gives us this common purpose for life and the urging to face whatever comes as an open door of opportunity for love and good deeds. What do you have in mind for us today God that will bring encouragement to someone else who needs to receive encouragement. Please clearly show us how we can be stronger together as we trust You. We pray this prayer anticipating that when You do inspire us on toward love and good deeds that we will respond. We welcome the Day of Your return approaching Lord Jesus and want to be found faithful. In Your holy Name. AMEN.