Worship
Please take time to prayerfully consider the words of this wonderful hymn as you offer yourself in worship to God.

King of kings, majesty,
God of heaven living in me,
Gentle Saviour, closest friend,
Strong deliverer, beginning & end,
All within me falls at Your throne.

Your majesty, I can but bow,
I lay my all before You now,
In royal robes I don’t deserve
I live to serve Your majesty.

Earth & heaven worship You,
Love eternal, faithful & true,
Who bought the nations,
Ransomed souls
Brought this sinner near to Your throne
All within me cries out in praise.

Your majesty………..

Sermon on the Mat: It pays to be kind

‘Love is patient, love is kind………’ 1 Corinthians 13:4-8.

The bible has a lot to say on the subject of kindness. I.e. Kindness that is not self seeking but seeks only the good of others. Kindness that leaves a lasting impression on the hearts of all those who find themselves on the receiving end of it. Kindness that can change a person’s life forever. Small wonder the prophet Zechariah exhorts us – ‘Not to despise the day of small beginnings.’ 4:10.

I.e. Those little acts of kindness that can lead to the greatest & most positive of outcomes.

The story is told of Johnny Benjamin who sat on the edge of Waterloo Bridge, above the River Thames, planning to take his own life & was prevented from doing so because of the kindness of a complete stranger. About this encounter Johnny later writes – ‘Without Neil, I wouldn’t be here…. Many people would have walked past & not got involved but because of Neil’s kindness & compassion, I’ve gone on to live a good life.’

Of all God’s very many attributes, perhaps the most outstanding of them all is His kindness. Which is just as well isn’t? Because, as one person reminded me many years ago, we’d be in a whole lot of trouble by now, if that wasn’t the case!

God is kind to us in a multiplicity of different ways. The bible tells us that because of His kind & compassionate nature – ‘He hasn’t dealt with us as our sins deserve.’ 

Rather – ‘As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us.’ Psalm 103:12. 

We’re also informed that even our ability to say sorry to Him & really mean it, is as a direct result of His kindness towards us. As we read in Romans 2:4 – ‘Are you actually unaware or ignorant of the fact that God’s kindness leads you to repentance, that is, to change your inner self, your old way of thinking – seek His purpose for your life.’ AMP.

Repentance of sin, it’s complete removal from our lives –  it’s all because of the Father’s kindness towards us. As too is our ability to once again walk tall & strong in Him, when the devil, given half a chance, would dearly wish it to remain otherwise. As the saying goes, ‘You can’t keep a good man down!’ And you certainly can’t keep a godly man or woman down. At least not for very long. Case in point? The prophet Elijah.

How tender the Lord was in all his dealings with the aggrieved & rebellious prophet?

As Elijah ran from God, God took it upon himself to feed him. We’re told that ministering angels, at the Lord’s behest, twice provided him with a hearty breakfast to sustain him on his journey.

We’re also made aware that when he reached the summit of Mt Horeb (the mountain of God), weary, frightened & forlorn that the Saviour of all men, was there to greet him. To reprove & belittle him? No! But rather, with the gentlest & most tender of touches to raise him up to new & meaningful opportunities of service to Him. Like the song says –

‘When I am down & oh my soul so weary
When troubles come & my heart burdened be
Then I am still & wait here in the silence
Until You come & sit awhile with me.
You raise me up, so I can stand on mountains
You raise me up to walk on stormy seas
I am strong when I am on Your shoulders
You raise me up to more than I can be.’

Prayer

Father God, we come into Your presence
Aware of our human frailty & yet overwhelmed by Your love for us.
We thank you that there is no human experience
That we might walk through where Your love cannot reach us.
If we climb the highest mountain You are there
And yet if we find ourselves in the darkest valley
Of our lives, You are there.
Teach us today to love You more.
Help us to rest in the love that asks for nothing more than
the simple trusting heart of a child. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Please pray –

• The Lord’s merciful overruling in the face of this current world wide pandemic.
• All who, in various ways, are struggling with & suffering from the impact of COVID 19.
• The people of Beirut as they come to terms with the aftermath of the explosion.