Hi Everyone,
Pause, Ponder and Pray as we know it is coming to an end and is being replaced by a daily prayer text message and a weekly midweek musings email. If you have not given us permission to contact you by text messge and have not given us your phone number, you will not receive this. If you would like to receive it, please contact Gordon.
Counting down to the big switch over. I hope you can join us!
With love
Jess
Pause
Take a moment now to recognise that you are in the presence of God. It might help to slow your breathing. Take a few deep breaths in and out.
Let’s proclaim together:
This is the day that the Lord has made.
Let us rejoice and be glad in it.
We say together our family prayer:
Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins
as we forgive those who sin against us.
Lead us not into temptation
but deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power,
and the glory are yours
now and for ever.
Amen.
Ponder
Today’s reading is Matthew 22:1-14
Once more Jesus spoke to them in parables, saying: “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who gave a wedding banquet for his son. He sent his slaves to call those who had been invited to the wedding banquet, but they would not come. Again he sent other slaves, saying, ‘Tell those who have been invited: Look, I have prepared my dinner, my oxen and my fat calves have been slaughtered, and everything is ready; come to the wedding banquet.’ But they made light of it and went away, one to his farm, another to his business, while the rest seized his slaves, mistreated them, and killed them. The king was enraged. He sent his troops, destroyed those murderers, and burned their city. Then he said to his slaves, ‘The wedding is ready, but those invited were not worthy. Go therefore into the main streets, and invite everyone you find to the wedding banquet.’ Those slaves went out into the streets and gathered all whom they found, both good and bad; so the wedding hall was filled with guests. “But when the king came in to see the guests, he noticed a man there who was not wearing a wedding robe, and he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you get in here without a wedding robe?’ And he was speechless. Then the king said to the attendants, ‘Bind him hand and foot, and throw him into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ For many are called, but few are chosen.”
Pray
Father God, thank you that you invite me to your heavenly banquet. Help me to make room at the table for others. Amen
Say a prayer today for those who do not feel invited to God’s banquet.
On our church list today we pray for:
Mo, Mark, India and Ryan Blue
Margaret Barnett
Let’s finish by saying this blessing:
May the Lord bless us and watch over us,
the Lord make his face shine upon us
and be gracious to us,
the Lord look kindly on us and give us peace.
Pause, Ponder and Pray as we know it is coming to an end and is being replaced by a daily prayer text message and a weekly midweek musings email. If you have not given us permission to contact you by text messge and have not given us your phone number, you will not receive this. If you would like to receive it, please contact Gordon.
Counting down to the big switch over. I hope you can join us!
With love
Jess
Pause
Take a moment now to recognise that you are in the presence of God. It might help to slow your breathing. Take a few deep breaths in and out.
Let’s proclaim together:
This is the day that the Lord has made.
Let us rejoice and be glad in it.
We say together our family prayer:
Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins
as we forgive those who sin against us.
Lead us not into temptation
but deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power,
and the glory are yours
now and for ever.
Amen.
Ponder
Today’s reading is Matthew 22:1-14
Once more Jesus spoke to them in parables, saying: “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who gave a wedding banquet for his son. He sent his slaves to call those who had been invited to the wedding banquet, but they would not come. Again he sent other slaves, saying, ‘Tell those who have been invited: Look, I have prepared my dinner, my oxen and my fat calves have been slaughtered, and everything is ready; come to the wedding banquet.’ But they made light of it and went away, one to his farm, another to his business, while the rest seized his slaves, mistreated them, and killed them. The king was enraged. He sent his troops, destroyed those murderers, and burned their city. Then he said to his slaves, ‘The wedding is ready, but those invited were not worthy. Go therefore into the main streets, and invite everyone you find to the wedding banquet.’ Those slaves went out into the streets and gathered all whom they found, both good and bad; so the wedding hall was filled with guests. “But when the king came in to see the guests, he noticed a man there who was not wearing a wedding robe, and he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you get in here without a wedding robe?’ And he was speechless. Then the king said to the attendants, ‘Bind him hand and foot, and throw him into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ For many are called, but few are chosen.”
- Who do you think the people in the parable are who are invited to the banquet but make excuses not to attend?
- How do you understand the phrase “many are called but few are chosen”?
- What is Jesus saying to you today?
Pray
Father God, thank you that you invite me to your heavenly banquet. Help me to make room at the table for others. Amen
Say a prayer today for those who do not feel invited to God’s banquet.
On our church list today we pray for:
Mo, Mark, India and Ryan Blue
Margaret Barnett
Let’s finish by saying this blessing:
May the Lord bless us and watch over us,
the Lord make his face shine upon us
and be gracious to us,
the Lord look kindly on us and give us peace.
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