To print off the latest prayer diary click here.
Prayer Diary for the period Thursday 6th February – Wednesday 26th March 2025.
The last chapter and a half of Malachi is our starting point and what joy we can look forward to: “2 But for you who revere my name, the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its rays. And you will go out and frolic like well-fed calves.” A lovely simile of unbounded joy!
Then also in the first chapter of Nahum (whose name means compassion, consolation) 1:7 “The Lord is good, a refuge in times of trouble. He cares for those who trust in him.” Going on, we turn to Obadiah who tells the story of the destruction of Edom, the nation that descended from Esau. The majority of the book pronounces judgment on the foreign nation of Edom, Judah’s neighbour to the southeast. Through Obadiah, God reminded Edom of their poor treatment of His people and promised redemption, not to the Edomites but to the people of Judah. We then turn to the Book of Joel. The book focuses its prophetic judgment on the southern kingdom of Judah with frequent references to Zion and the temple worship. There is the heartfelt plea: “Even now,” declares the Lord, “return to me with all your heart, with fasting and weeping and mourning.” How God’s heart must ache today as he views all that is going on in the world and the way so many openly reject His ways. However, he does end on a positive note as we read of the blessings for God’s people.
Next the Book of Ecclesiastes reveals our lack of control over our lives. The true meaning of a good life is found in the hope for God’s judgment that will destroy evil and bring justice. This hope fuels a life of honesty and integrity, despite life’s mysteries. A particular verse that caught my eye is 3:11 “Yet God has made everything beautiful for its own time. He has planted eternity in the human heart, but even so, people cannot see the whole scope of God’s work from beginning to end.” May He open our eyes to see what the He is doing and see better His way forward for each of us in our lives.
And finally, we turn to Jeremiah. I love the opening chapter and its description of the call of Jeremiah especially the last verse: “They will fight against you but will not overcome you, for I am with you and will rescue you,” declares the Lord.” O that there were prophets like him today that will speak to and for us.
The New Testament readings seem to my untutored eye a little strange.
We start where we left off with Jesus predicting Peter’s denial after Jesus had been arrested, continue to the penultimate chapter, and then go back to John chapters 3 to 8. Perhaps someone with greater theological understanding could explain?
Anyway, as we continue through the latter part of John’s gospel we come to the teaching by Jesus about the Holy Spirit. O, that all our churches could experience the wonder, joy and power of the Holy Spirit! I also find it interesting to see that later, when Jesus is talking about the vine and the branches, he tells us that the Father cuts off every branch that bears no fruit whilst those branches that do bear fruit are pruned. Gardeners will recognise the difference! Although being pruned can be painful we should rejoice that we are being made more into the likeness of Jesus. I would also highlight the end of Chapter 16 where Jesus is recorded as saying: “In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”
When we are down and feeling lost and alone, we can be encouraged by those words especially the prompting to ‘take heart’. After the arrest and denial by Peter, we read of Pilate asking the question of Jesus “What is truth?” A question that we might ask of the varied and differing reports we hear these days about what is going on in the world today all competing to put the required slant on any particular issue. “Assisted dying” or “Assisted suicide”?
After the crucifixion and death of Jesus we see the reappearance of Nicodemus (who we will read about soon as we turn back to the earlier chapters of John) as he helps Joseph of Arimathea take the body down from the cross and wrap it in strips of linen with the spices that Nicodemus had brought. What a heartbreaking offering of love to their Lord, and our Lord!
Then comes the joy! The discovery by Mary Magdalene that he was alive and his appearance to her and then the disciples….and finally, Thomas! We might remember Jesus’ earlier words at this point: “But take heart! I have overcome the world.” The worst that the world could throw at him, he had overcome! From here we go back to the early chapters of John and read the earlier interaction of Nicodemus with Jesus and his teaching about being born again. Of the Spirit. If you haven’t been filled with the Spirit don’t put it off. Ask and you will receive. Or ask someone to pray for you.
As we approach and move into the season of Lent, we do wish you guidance and new insights into the amazing love that is there for all those who seek to follow Him.
With our love,
Peter & Sylvia