The Invisible Body

#MorningPrayer Give us wisdom, Lord; but not the wisdom of the world, of cleverness or cunning, of knowledge or pride. Give us rather the wisdom that sees your image in each person, the wisdom of loving, giving, serving; the wisdom that is open to your Spirit, your guidance, you.

Merry Christmas from New Zealand. May you marvel at the wonder of Emmanuel, God with us, and rest in the knowledge of that great love.

Christmas can be a time where pain and suffering is highlighted for many people as images of happy families and exited children fill their screens. You are not alone. Please reach out to someone if you are hurting this season #youarenotalone #christmasgrief

#MorningPrayer Keep us, Lord, passionate in your way, your work and your worship, that we may be focused on your gospel, your mission and your kingdom in all that we do, all that we say and all that we are. Save us from trials and temptations; free us to share your love with all.

#MorningPrayer Keep us, Lord, from fixing our desires on what the world offers: status, power, money, the endless wanting of “more”. Fill us instead with desire for goodness, wisdom, self-control, endurance, godliness, mutuality, and love, that we may seek the real, the lasting.

#MorningPrayer Lord, guard our hearts and keep them turned towards you and open towards our neighbour. Keep us from self-centredness, from being grumblers and malcontents; instead, fill us with your Spirit and lead us in your way, that in us and through us, your love may be seen.

#MorningPrayer Be active, Lord, in our hearts and souls, that we may continually increase in faith and grow in love, revealing more and more of you and your promises to the people and the world around us. Inspire us, in ease and in hardship, to live the blessings of your kingdom.

#MorningPrayer Keep us, Lord, from worry and wondering, anxiety and apprehension, about the timing or trajectory of your working in the world. Assure us of your love, and animate us by your Spirit, that we may build one another up in faith, hope and love, for the blessing of all.

#MorningPrayer Amid the changes and chances of life, Lord, remind us and reassure us that some things do not change and are not subject to chance; your promises, your love for us, are constant. Keep us constant in living out your love for one another, shining your light upon all.

#MorningPrayer Give us, Lord, hearts for one another; hearts full of your love and your desire for the wellbeing of your people, your church. Fill us with the desire to encourage, to build up, to nurture. Remind us that dimming another’s light, will not make ours shine brighter.

Inspire us, Lord, by the example of those in your Church who show us what it is to be Christlike, not only when life is easy but also when it is hard. Let the example of sisters and brothers enduring hardship and remaining true to you, lift our eyes to your kingdom and your call.

#MorningPrayer Give us a boldness in our faith, Lord; not an arrogance, nor a boastfulness, but a confidence and an assurance in your love, that shines through all we are, all we say, all we do. May our lives reveal a glimpse of you and your kingdom, to each person we encounter.

#MorningPrayer Inspire us, Lord, to live out our relationship with you; not just in the outward show of observance, ritual and activity, but also in works of faith which reveal the depth of our trust, labours of love which reveal your kingdom, in abiding hope which points to you.

#MorningPrayer Let your light shine, Lord, upon us, within us, among us and through us. May the light of your love illuminate our hearts and minds, and infuse the hearts and minds of all who take counsel for the nations of the earth, that all may know your healing and your peace.

#MorningPrayer Keep us, Lord, close to you, that all may see you in us readily and easily; may your light shine in us, your life flow through us, your love show in all we do. Help us discern your calling on us today; give us the strength to follow where you lead, to your glory.

#MorningPrayer Empower and enthuse your Church, Lord, in the work of your mission; keep us true to you and your kingdom. Equip us and enable our work to bring your love to bear in the lives of communities and people. Hold us close to you that we may shine with your light for all.

#MorningPrayer Keep us, Lord, always in your light; the light that guides us in our pilgrimage of faith, the light that illuminates our understanding of your kingdom, the light that reveals the things which need your healing and forgiveness. May we be ever awake to your presence.

#MorningPrayer You call us, Lord, to be faithful to your kingdom, to seek in our lives to embody justice, mercy, peace, and love. Save us from our own self-centredness and the pursuit of selfish gain, that we may work for the common good, the relief of need, the blessing of all.

#MorningPrayer Lord, open the eyes of our understanding, that we may perceive the realities of life beyond image, the truth that lies beneath the surface; help us to discern what is good, what is just, and give us courage to pursue, proclaim and practice the ways of your kingdom.

#MorningPrayer We see, Lord, the turmoil of nations, their people, and of the earth itself. Bring us up short by the realisation of our failure to care properly for one another, and for the world we inhabit; fill us with a yearning for right relationships, for justice, for peace.