Worship

Sing or say the words of this wonderful song of praise as you bring your act of worship to God.

Great is the Lord & most worthy of praise,
The city of our God, the holy place,
The joy of the whole earth.
Great is the Lord in whom we have the victory,
He aids us against the enemy,
We bow down on our knees.

And Lord we want to lift Your name on high,
And Lord we want to thank You,
For the works you’ve done in our lives;
And Lord, we trust in Your unfailing love,
For You alone are God eternal,
Throughout earth & heaven above.

Sermon on the Mat: Relax, God’s in charge

‘You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies.
You anoint my head with oil, my cup overflows.
Surely your goodness & love will follow me all the days of my life,
And I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever!’
Psalm 23:5-6.

I wonder if we realise how tirelessly & relentlessly God labours on the behalf of the world that He loves? How committed He is to bringing the best possible outcome to the most unimaginably difficult & testing situations of life. Situations & difficulties that not only impact us on a personal level but also on a wider, more global scale too.

I wonder if we fully appreciate, in this present climate of fear & uncertainty, just how much God really is in control of His earth & the measure to which He is working to bring to pass an ending that will far surpass all our expectations & imaginings. As Paul reminds us in 1 Corinthians 2:9 –

‘Things which the eye has not seen & the ear has not heard,
And which have not entered the heart of man,
All that God has prepared for those who love Him, who hold Him
In affectionate reverence, who obey Him & who gratefully recognise the benefits that He has bestowed!’

The upside down logic of the kingdom of heaven, a logic that celebrates foolishness over wisdom, weakness over strength, selflessness over vain conceit, (1 Corinthians 1:27, Philippians 2:1-4), would have it no other way. God remains in charge of His creation, no matter what! Never more able to drive back the darkness, than when the darkness appears unstoppable in it’s power & ability to wreak irreversible, untold damage to His earth & those who inhabit it. Small wonder Pastor Max Lucado in his book, ‘Anxious for nothing,’ urges us all to –

‘Stabilise our Souls with the sovereignty of God because He reigns supreme over every detail of the Universe!’

It’s easy to forget that, sometimes, isn’t it? Especially when we look at our troubled world through the lens of our often blinkered & jaundiced understanding. It’s easy to lose sight of the fact that, in-spite of everything, God still has His eye on the ball. That, in the end, it is He, not us, or fate, or chance or the relentless battering of enemy fire, pernicious & unseen, who will determine the course of human history. I.e. How the story of our lives actually ends. Nb. Not with a gigantic cosmic blast that hurls us all into a meaningless state of hapless oblivion but rather with the realisation & fulfilment of a new & everlasting world order.

One in which, according to the scriptures, Jesus reigns supreme! As He always has & as He always will. Especially where every true & believing heart is concerned. I.e. Everyone who has turned to Him for the gift of Salvation. Something only He has the right & the power to provide.

Prayer of blessing

Circle us Lord
Keep protection near
And danger afar.

Circle us Lord
Keep hope within
Keep doubt without.

Circle us Lord
Keep light near
And darkness afar.

Circle us Lord
Keep peace within
Keep evil out.

Amen.

Please pray –

• That each of us receives a renewed sense of the vital importance of meeting together & making it a priority (virtually for now & in time physically).
• That we also develop a fresh sense of urgency in sharing the vital hope of the Gospel with our neighbours, family & friends.
• That God’s perfect will would be done here on earth, even as it continues to be done there in His glorious heaven.