Prayers for Christian Unity Day 5

“Ahead of them, went the star that they had seen at its rising”

(Mt 2:9)

Guided by the one God

Readings

• Psalm 121 - I lift up my eyes to the hills, from where will my help come?
• Matthew 2:7-10 - Ahead of them, went the star that they had seen at its rising

Reflection

Again and again, the scriptures tell us how God walks with us. The path may not always be straight: sometimes we are led to retrace our steps, sometimes to return by a different route. But in all our journeying through life, we can be confident that God, who neither “sleeps nor slumbers”, is with us when we slip or fall.

Even in the greatest darkness, God’s light is with us. Most perfectly, in the fullness of time, God sends Jesus Christ, who is the guiding light for all nations, the glory of God in the world, the source of divine light and life.

The way ahead into unity with one another, into closer union with Christ, is not always clear. In our earnest attempts to build unity ourselves it is all too easy to lose sight of this fundamental message of the scriptures: that God does not abandon his people even in their failures and divisiveness. This is God’s message of hope for the whole world. As the story of the Magi reminds us, God guides people of all kinds, by the light of the star, to where Christ, the light of the world, is to be found.

Prayer

God our Guide,

you sent the star to lead the Magi to your only begotten Son.

Fill us with the confidence that you are walking with us.

Open our eyes to your Spirit, and encourage us in our faith,

so that we may confess that Jesus is Lord,

and worship him as the Magi did in Bethlehem.

Amen.

Hymn Verse

Hope of my heart, strength of my soul,

Guide Thou my footsteps and keep me whole;

My grace and fortress, Thou wilt be,

Oh, let Thy mighty hand ever lead me.

Barney E Warren, 1893

Questions

• Global: As a global community we continue to face many challenges. How do we seek God’s guidance in our response to those challenges?
• Local: How is God guiding your Christian community at this time? Where are you being called to act?
• Personal: Reflect on a time when you have felt or seen God’s guidance. What was that like?

Go and Do

(see www.ctbi.org.uk/goanddo)

Global: Start (or continue) a conversation around your Christian community about how you are responding to the challenges of climate justice. As churches, take part in global prayer and action for climate justice (https://www.prayandact4climate.org).

Local: Plan a Climate Sunday service between the churches in your locality. Visit climatesunday.org for resources and inspiration.

Personal: Seek out a community to be part of to support you in your action responding to global challenges. For example if you like craft you could turn your skills into activism in community with the craftivist-collective.com.