Thursday Morning Prayer, 02 Jul 2020
+ In the Name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Opening:
All-powerful God, your incarnate Word commands our obedience and offers us true life. Make our ears attentive to the voice of your Son and our hearts generous in answering his call,that we may take up the cross with trust in his promises. We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God for ever and ever.Amen.
Follow the example of good men and women of old,
and God will comfort you and help you.
[ St Columba ]
Prepare to Pray:
Holy Spirit, breath of God and fire of love, I cannot pray without your aid: Kindle in me the fire of your love, and illumine me with your light; that with a steadfast will and holy thoughts I may approach the Father in spirit and in truth; through Jesus Christ my Lord, who reigns with you and the Father in eternal union. Amen.
Scripture Reading (CEV)
Psalm 120:2-4
“Come and save me, Lord,
from deceitful liars!”
What punishment is fitting
for you deceitful liars?
Your reward should be
sharp and flaming arrows!
Job 1:6-8
One day, when the angels had gathered around the Lord, and Satan was there with them, the Lord asked, “Satan, where have you been?”
Satan replied, “I have been going all over the earth.”
Then the Lord asked, “What do you think of my servant Job? No one on earth is like him—he is a truly good person, who respects me and refuses to do evil.”
Luke 4:1-13
When Jesus returned from the Jordan River, the power of the Holy Spirit was with him, and the Spirit led him into the desert. For forty days Jesus was tested by the devil, and during that time he went without eating. When it was all over, he was hungry.
The devil said to Jesus, “If you are God’s Son, tell this stone to turn into bread.”
Jesus answered, “The Scriptures say, ‘No one can live only on food.’”
Then the devil led Jesus up to a high place and quickly showed him all the nations on earth. The devil said, “I will give all this power and glory to you. It has been given to me, and I can give it to anyone I want to. Just worship me, and you can have it all.”
Jesus answered, “The Scriptures say:
‘Worship the Lord your God
and serve only him!’”
Finally, the devil took Jesus to Jerusalem and had him stand on top of the temple. 
The devil said, “If you are God’s Son, jump off. The Scriptures say:
‘God will tell his angels
to take care of you.
They will catch you
in their arms,
and you will not hurt
your feet on the stones.’”
Jesus answered, “The Scriptures also say, ‘Don’t try to test the Lord your God!’”
After the devil had finished testing Jesus in every way possible, he left him for a while.
An Example*:
Then I saw that there was a way to hell even from the gate of heaven, as well as from the City of Destruction. So I awoke, and behold it was a dream.
(John Bunyan, Pilgrim’s Progress)
In general we pray, ‘Lead us not into temptation’, but at the same time the Spirit of God may draw us into a deserted place to be tested.
The island of Inner Farne which was Cuthbert’s ‘lonely battlefield’ had the reputation of being just such a place.
Inner Farne circular walk and cruise from Seahouses, Northumberland ©
O Lord, I offer you this moment of silence.
This moment is for You.
I consent to Your action
In my mind and in my heart
In my will and in my soul.
I welcome Your action!
And to prepare myself, to make room for You,
I will sit here, quietly, with my eyes closed,
In an attitude of peaceful rest and loving devotion,
My intent is to welcome You.
I will slow down my thoughts and my imagination,
I will calm down my fears and my emotions,
I will try to exercise patience and humility
And I offer you these feeble efforts…
I lift up my soul to You,
Whispering in my heart and in my mind,
“Here I am! Quiet but attentive to You”
Closing
May the peace of the Lord Christ go with you, wherever He may send you. May He guide you through the wilderness, protect you through the storm. May He bring you home rejoicing at the wonders He has shown you. May He bring you home rejoicing once again into our doors.
+ In the Name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
* Northumbria Community. Celtic Daily Prayer (Kindle Locations 11883-11889). HarperCollins Publishers. Kindle Edition.
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