Settling Down

Okay, well, morning, everyone.

With your Bibles in your hands, come with me to Genesis chapter 30.

Genesis 30 · chapter mention

And here's C.S. Lewis on the screen.

I've been reading poems, romances, vision, literature, legends, and myths my whole life.

If I know what they are like, I know none of them are like the Bible.

So be reminded as you pick up the Bible this morning that this is no ordinary book.

Come at this enthusiastically this morning.

Come at this expectantly this morning.

That as we open this book, the voice of the living God is heard.

So often we can just go through the motions, can't we, when we come to hearing from God as we open his word.

But come at that expectantly this morning.

I know none of them are like the Bible.

So Genesis 30 verse 25 is where we are today.

Genesis 30:25

I want to tell you about a lady who I met on holiday called Mary.

So we're on holiday to Bath in the south of England.

Mary was part of the church family there.

She ran the kids church.

She looked after her kids.

And we bumped into Mary on the Monday after the Sunday that we met her.

And so she asked me what life was like in Edinburgh.

And so I told her.

And after telling her, I responded and asked her the same question.

I said, what is life like in Bath?

And here's what she said.

She said, there's a joke that we tell ourselves in Bath.

That Bath is a place where, and this is her line,

it's the place where ambition goes to die.

Right?

And I made a joke about how that should be the new city motto.

I don't think she got it in my accent, but we moved on.

But before we go hating on Mary,

believe it or not, she was being hugely complimentary about the place where she lives.

Right?

If people are interested in climbing career ladders and making a name for themselves,

trying to make it in a city,

they go two hours east and they go to the big smoke.

They go to London.

Right?

But if you want a nice life,

if you want good schools,

if you want stunning scenery,

if you want wonderful Georgian architecture,

safe neighbourhood,

recycling bins go out on the right day,

et cetera, et cetera,

then you go to Bath.

And the subtext of what Mary was saying

is that this is a city where people come

and they settle.

And I heard her say it,

and it reminded me of the greatest fear that I have for my Christian life,

and I wonder if it's yours as well.

Not physically speaking, but spiritually speaking,

is that I just settle down in this world.

And life's cushy,

and it's nice,

and it's comfortable.

And I let the things of this world,

the comforts, the pleasures,

take me,

and the currents of that sea

cause me to drift away from my love for Jesus Christ.

Right?

I stop pursuing

and learning more of the big heart of Jesus.

Let me tell you,

it's the most easy thing in the world to stand up here

and deliver something when your heart's not in it.

I never want to get to that stage

where this is not a burning passion of mine

to know Jesus more,

to see more of his character and his love

stamped all across my life,

enjoying him

and living in light of who he is.

And what this is today

is God's loving and gracious invitation to us

to be a people

who are living for the heavenly city.

As the reformers used to say,

what was said of them,

that they were forward tilted people.

Right?

Life was lived on the tiptoes

expecting that this is not the final destination.

Do you know,

it's the easiest thing as well

in my generation,

people my generation

talk about their forever homes.

Right?

Buying your forever home.

And you can be in that home for 10 years,

you can be in it for 50 years,

but let me tell you,

this is not your forever home.

And why this matters,

and whoever you are here today,

I want you to listen to this challenge

that comes at this today.

Why you should listen

is that we are all meaning-seeking creatures.

We are all meaning-seeking creatures.

We are all looking for a bigger reason

for which we exist.

Something to live for,

something to make your life worth it.

And it is all wrapped up

in our culture's newfound craving

for an identity.

Yeah?

Something to make your life make sense.

You know,

it was astrologer Carl Sagan,

who, as I understand it,

wasn't a believer,

commented on a picture

that NASA took of the Earth

from their Voyager spacecraft,

right?

Some 4 billion miles away

from Earth.

See if you can find it on the screen.

Right?

The picture that's become famous

as the pale blue dot.

And its conclusion,

after seeing this picture

and reflecting on the smallness

of planet Earth

and the seeming insignificance

of our little lives

on planet Earth.

He said this,

he said,

if we crave some cosmic purpose,

then let us find ourselves

a worthy goal.

In other words,

we're so small,

who knows what's going on?

You better make your life

worth something

and find something

to live for.

Makes sense, doesn't it?

If that's your outlook on life.

You've got to find your meaning.

You've got to find a purpose.

And I'm reminded that

every time I turn on the news

and I see things like

the just oil activists, right?

And that's not a comment at all

on the validity of the cause.

It's just a little snippet example

of how people in our world

are desperate for something

to believe in

and give their life meaning and worth.

But what God is saying today

to the Christian believer

is not that you need to go out

and find yourself a worthy goal.

The gospel is the opposite.

The gospel says,

God by his grace,

that I've given you a worthy goal

and I've saved you to live

for a worthy goal.

To quote Seth Lewis

in his book,

Dream Small.

And he's a believer

and he says this,

once you grasp that God

has given you the goal,

you don't need to find

your own meaning in life.

He said this,

I'm not interested

in naming my dreams

at empty promises,

no matter how big they look.

I want to spend my strength

and my short time

on this planet

on things that really matter,

no matter how small they look.

And so into our world,

dear friends,

that encourages you,

what's always the second question

we ask people

after,

where are you from?

What do you do?

Right?

And so often I know

that many of you

answer that question

and you feel like

you don't have a good answer

for that,

what do you do?

Maybe particularly

if I'm going to pick one,

maybe particularly

if you're a mum

who stays at home,

you're a parent

that stays at home

and you answer that question

and you think,

actually,

am I living for something?

Absolutely it is

because it's caught up

in what God has given you

as an identity.

All of us is an identity.

We're living for something bigger

than just what we do

with our lives

and Hebrews 11

gives us the interpretive lens

through which we can understand

the massive change

that goes on

in Jacob's heart today

as God says,

come and live

for the better city.

This is what the writer

to the Hebrews says,

by faith he,

and that's Abraham,

he made his home

in the promised land

like a stranger

in a foreign country.

He lived in tents

as did Isaac

and Jacob

who were heirs with him

of the same promise

for he was looking forward

to the city

with foundations

whose architect

and builder

is God.

As it was with Abraham,

so it is with Isaac.

As it is today

as we read about Jacob,

God is calling him

to live for the bigger

and better city.

And so as we take in

a turning point

in Jacob's life today,

I want us to see

and look out for these

in the reading

that there are two

big barriers

that God is calling

Jacob by faith

to overcome

as he responds

to God's word

this morning.

What we're going to see

is that Jesus

has defeated

those barriers

for us

and he's calling us

to live in light

of who he is

and to live

for that better city

as we delightfully

and diligently

pursue him.

So this is Genesis 30

in at verse 25.

And guys,

maybe we could get

the words on the screen

and follow with me

in your Bible,

please,

if you have one there.

Genesis 30

in at verse 25.

Watch for the turning point.

Think about the two barriers.

Think about the better city.

After Rachel gave birth

to Joseph,

Jacob said to Laban,

send me on my way

so I can go back

to my own homeland.

Remember,

Jacob is living

away from his homeland

almost as it were

under house arrest

it feels

by this guy Laban, right?

Give me my wives

and children

from whom I've served you

and I will be on my way.

You know how much work

I've done for you.

But Laban said to him,

if I have found favor

in your eyes,

please stay.

I have learned

by divination

that the Lord

has blessed me

because of you.

He added,

name your wages

and I will pay them.

Jacob said to him,

you know how I've worked

for you

and how your livestock

has fared under my care.

The little you had

before I came

has increased greatly

and the Lord

has blessed you

wherever I have been.

But now,

when may I do something

for my own household,

what shall I give you,

he asked?

Don't give me anything,

Jacob replied.

But if you will do

this one thing for me,

I will go on

tending your flocks

and watching over them.

Let me go

through all your flocks

today,

let me go through

all your flocks today

and remove from them

every speckled

or spotted sheep,

every dark colored lamb

and every spotted

or speckled goat.

They will be my wages.

And my honesty

will testify for me

in the future.

Whenever you check

on the wages

you have paid me,

any goat in my possession

that is not speckled

or spotted

or any lamb

that is not dark colored

will be considered stolen.

Agreed,

said Laban.

Let it be

as you have said.

That same day

he removed

all the male goats

that were streaked

or spotted

and all the speckled

or spotted female goats,

all that had white on them

and all the dark colored lambs

and he placed them

in the care of his sons.

Then he put a three day journey

between himself and Jacob

while Jacob continued

to tend the rest

of Laban's flocks.

Jacob, however,

took fresh cut branches

from poplar,

almond and plain trees

and made white stripes

on them

by peeling the bark

and exposing

the white inner wood

of the branches.

Then

he placed

the peeled branches

in all the watering

troughs

so that

they would be

directly in front

of the flocks

when they came

to drink.

This will all make sense

when we go through it,

okay?

When the flocks

were in heat

and came to drink

they mated in front

of the branches

and they bore young

and they were streaked

or speckled

or spotted.

Jacob set apart

the young of the flock

by themselves

but made the rest

face the streaked

and dark coloured

animals that belonged

to Laban.

Thus he made

separate flocks

for himself

and did not put them

with Laban's animals.

Whenever the stronger

females were in heat

Jacob would place

the branches

in the troughs

in front of the animals

so that they would mate

near the branches

but if the animals

were weak

he would not place

them there.

So the weak animals

went to Laban

and the strong ones

to Jacob.

In this way

the man grew

exceedingly prosperous

and came to his own

large flocks

and female

and male servants

and camels

and donkeys.

Jacob heard that

Laban's sons were saying

Jacob has taken

everything our father

owned

and has gained

all his wealth

from what belonged

to our father.

And Jacob noticed

that Laban's attitude

towards him

was not what it

had been.

Then the Lord

said to Jacob

go back to the land

of your fathers

and to your relatives

and I will be with you.

So Jacob sent word

to Rachel and Leah

to come out

to the fields

where his flocks were.

He said to them

I see that your father's

attitude towards me

is not what it was before

but the God of my father

has been with me.

You know that I've worked

for your father

with all my strength

yet your father

has cheated me

by changing my wages

ten times.

However God

has not allowed him

to harm me.

If he said

the speckled ones

will be your wages

then all the flocks

gave birth to speckled young

and if he said

the streaked ones

will be your wages

then all the flocks

bore streaked young.

So God has taken away

your father's livestock

and has given them to me.

In breeding season

I once had a dream

in which I looked up

and saw that the male goats

mating with the flock

were streaked

speckled or spotted.

The angel of God

said to me in a dream

Jacob

I answered

here I am

and he said

look up and see

that all the male goats

mating with the flock

are streaked

speckled or spotted

for I have seen

all that Laban

has been doing to you.

I am the God

of Bethel

where you

anointed a pillar

and where you

made a vow

to me.

Now leave this land

at once

and go back

to your native land.

Then Rachel and Leah

replied

do we still have

any share

in our fathers

in the inheritance

of our fathers estate?

Does he not regard us

as foreigners?

Not only has he sold us

but he's used up

what was paid for us.

Surely all the wealth

that God took away

from our father

belongs to us

and our children

so

do whatever

God has told you.

Amen.

And this is God's word

to us this morning.

And just remember

that big thing.

God's called

to Jacob

to live

for the bigger city

where he is

and live in faith.

Jacob's away from home

he's living under Laban

and God says

return.

And so here's

the first of the two barriers

that God's inviting him

to overcome in faith.

Right?

And see if you see

these things in your life.

Because I saw them

in my life

at the minute

as I've been walking

through this.

Here's number one.

There's too many mistakes

in my past.

I mean it's just been

blow after blow

and mistake

after mistake

in Jacob's life

thus far

hasn't it?

Things that have

happened to him

but things that he has

done to other people.

and the fallout

that's come

off the back of that.

Right?

Total them up.

He's been hurt

by his dad.

He's been led astray

by his mum.

He's cheated his brother.

He's been tricked

by his father-in-law.

He's got two wives

who are at each other's

throats.

He's sitting there

with kids

from four different women

and to top it up

he's living miles

away from home.

And that is what

we would call today

that is what we would

call baggage.

And maybe that's you

today.

Dear friends

we cannot undo

the past

but we can take

God at his word

and we can come

to him

and to receive

his mercy

and grace

and we can

change

and begin

to live

for the future.

Our God

is the God

of endless

compassion

and grace.

So you're not amazed

with how patient

he is with his people?

How patient

he is

as I look back

and as I think

about the mistakes

that I've made

in my life

as I think

about the ways

when I was young

and I used to

think about

and speak to people

oh God

he's so patient

with us.

And that's exactly

what God says

at verse 13

of chapter 31.

He calls himself

what?

He says

I am the God

of Bethel.

Now that's a reference

a really significant

reference

and feel

the forgiveness

and invitation

that's here

is the reference

to something

that's happened

in Jacob's life

back at

verse 10

of chapter 28.

Jacob's had a dream

if you remember

that scene

of the stairway

between heaven

and earth

and God says

because

of who I am

I'm going to

give you this land

and you're going

to be a blessing

to the nations

and even though

you go

I'm going to

bring you

back to this land

and that's the promise

that God has made

Jacob

but the thing

to see

is that chapter

30

might be a

two chapter

jump for us

but it's a

20 year

jump

chronologically

in the life

of Jacob.

You do the maths

right?

That's a lot

of mistakes

that's a lot

of regrets

in 20 years

think about

your life

in 20 years.

There's a lot

going on

between Bethel

then

and God

saying return

now

it's been

20 years

and Jacob's

got to be

asking himself

is he not?

See the mess

that I've made

of it

in 20 years

time

the mess

I've made

of it

here and now

does that

nullify

the promises

that God

made to me

back then?

You know

we had an

English teacher

at school

substitute

teacher

from America

from New York

I think we

nicknamed him

Yankee

and there was

one rule

in his classroom

and he took it

straight from

the baseball

umpire

and his rule

was three strikes

and you're out

so if he called

you out three times

if he called you

out in late homework

if he called you

out talking in class

then that was

one strike

and you got

three

and you used

to get

what was the

dreaded

lunchtime

detention

and all that

meant was just

you spent

your lunchtime

walking around

picking up litter

and you got

to ask yourself

is God

like that?

Is it three

strikes and

you're out

with the Lord?

When God

says return

and says

I'm the God

of Bethel

it is him

graciously

reminding Jacob

that this is

not primarily

about you

that we preach

a gospel

that is bigger

than just

behavior modification

the entry

to the gospel

is not

behavior

qualification

it is simply

the blood

of Jesus

Christ

and faith

in him

what God

is teaching

Jacob

here

is

this is

not

primarily

about

you

it is

about me

and my

unchanging

character

and my

heart

for the

peoples

and the

nations

of the

world

this is

about

my

perfect

timing

this is

about

my

unstoppable

and good

promises

and this

is about

me

doing

the thing

from your

line in the

future

that's

ultimately

going to

be the

blood

bought

price

to free

you

from the

grip

and the

debt

of your

mistakes

and your

painful

past

this is

not just

a get

out of jail

free card

that God

has given

Laban here

it doesn't

matter

no God

sees

and God

will deal

because God

loves

is he

thinking in

his heart

in this

moment

there's

too many

mistakes

in my

past

you

thinking

that

this

morning

do you

know what

the second

one is

that there's

too many

unknowns

about the

future

because Jacob

to get up

and go

home here

is not

easy

this is not

going to be a

hero's welcome

back in his

homeland

right

think about

what he's just

walked away

from

he's got

to go

back

God has

called him

to go

back

to Isaac

who he

conned

he's got

to go

back to

Esau

who he

tricked

so to

follow the

Lord there

and to

face up

to his

old sins

who knows

what way

that's going

to go

but the

promise that

God makes

to him

at 31

3

is the

thing that

he's got

to hold

and he's got

to walk

by faith

with

and it's a

really simple

promise here

it is that

God is

with him

right

God holds

the future

it's God's

plans and

purposes

it's God

who is the

sovereign one

and if

Jacob is

looking for

proof of

that that

God is

with him

he'll need

look no

further than

all the ways

that God

has blessed

him

despite

Laban's

best efforts

to make

life as

hard as

possible for

him

and that's

what's going

on here with

the flock of

animals in case

you're wondering

in case you're

wondering

you're definitely

wondering what

on earth is

that all

about

okay what's

going on

Jacob

Laban is

effectively

giving Jacob

he said you

can have the

best

Jacob has

effectively

been given

the worst

by Laban

right

Laban has

handpicked the

best for

himself

done a runner

and said you

can have the

rest

best

and yes

Jacob has

used his

wisdom and

experience in

cattle breeding

techniques to

give it his

best shot

that's what all

that stuff is

about about the

peeling of the

branches and

whatnot he's

giving it his

best shot

because that

stuff is kind

of folklore in

this day about

how you make

cattle breed

right you get

them to look at

sticks and if

they look at

spotted sticks

they'll think

about spotted

it's that kind

of thing

right

but I think

the reason that

we're given

all of it

the writer's

intention is to

say do you

seriously think

that that was

the thing that

was making

Jacob prosperous

here a few

sticks a few

peels

what's going on

here as that

summary sentence

at verse 43

right at the end

of chapter 30

gives us as he

increases greatly

what it's showing

us is that God

is making this

all happen

he's making this

all happen

so much so

that Laban says

verse 27 of

chapter 30

I see

that the Lord

has blessed me

because of you

right he gets

that something's

up here

he's aware that

something's going

on what's going

on there is that

God is making

good on his

covenant promises

that through

Jacob God will

bless the nations

of the world

it's a little

snippet of a

glimpse of it

there and so

when God says

to Jacob

return home

and says

I am with

you

these are not

words that

come without

any backing

right in the

words of

Corrie ten Boom

who was

imprisoned in a

German concentration

camp during

World War II

and who knew

more reasons

than I think

any of us

will ever know

to worry

she said this

she said never

be scared to

commit an

unknown future

to a known

God

too many

mistakes in

my past

too many

unknowns about

the future

and God

says Jacob

I'm going to

deal with

both of

them

and we read

of Jacob

from verse

four he's

relaying that

to Rachel

and Leah

and it's

amazing isn't

it this must

be God

because it's

the first time

those two have

agreed in this

whole incident

the writer's

telling us

that Jacob

is beginning

to walk

once again

in light

of who

Yahweh

is

and he's

beginning to

think about

the promises

that he has

made him

that are

trustworthy

and if you

think about

the original

readers of

this who are

that Israelite

generation

wandering in

the wilderness

they read

this what a

rallying call

to do the

same

because this

is if you

think about

it there's

echoes

of the

exodus

all over

this

right

if you think

about what's

going on in

Jacob's life

here he's

kind of

in slavery

to this man

Laban isn't

he and God

says I am

with you

God calls

him to go

does that

remind you of

anything that's

going on for

these readers

it must have

done

it must have

done

that's how

God works

could it even

be that the

generation who

are wandering

in the wilderness

could it even

be that they're

at the 20

year mark

in that 40

year journey

could it even

be that many

of them like

Jacob here

are doubting

God's goodness

questioning his

promises

looking at the

failure and

mistakes in their

own life

and what they're

doing is they're

just drifting

and they're

settling

and Moses is

saying just like

Jacob and just

like Isaac and

Abraham before him

you've got to

start thinking

about who this

God is and

taking out his

word and getting

back into the

slipstream of his

promises in the

future that he's

won for you

come home

return

and from Jacob's

line dear friends

will come another

son who left

home

not because of

his mistakes and

his sin but

out of loving

choice the

father's choice

to send the

son is loving

choice to save

us from our

mistakes and

sin and his

choice to come to

bring us home

and that son

will tell a story

about another son

who was away from

home one of the

most famous

stories that

Jesus told

ever told

about another

son who left

home about

another son who

was estranged

from his father

about another

son who didn't

know about what

kind of welcome

he would receive

as he returned

home he didn't

want his father

in that story of

the prodigal son

he didn't want

his father he

wanted his father

dead I want

your stuff I

don't want you

and so the son

goes and he

lives the life

of Riley he

goes girls he

goes parties he

goes clothes but

eventually because

of the folly he

finds himself in

the pigsty and

when he comes to

his senses and

remembers his

father he thinks

I've got to get

to him but as he

starts making that

journey home what

I'm sure came to

mind too many

mistakes in my

past and

unknown too many

unknowns about my

future what kind of

gods am I going to

encounter here

and the walking

son is met by the

running father

fattened calf ring

on his finger best

robe welcome home

because this God is

a God of compassion

and forgiveness and

grace but what is so

often missed as we

tell that story it's

where the shame has

gone you see the

shame that the son

deserved because of

running away from his

father and saying I

don't want you father

the shame that should

have been the sons

the father takes on

himself no father in

the Middle East would

run it's not what you

do don't humiliate

yourself like that no

no no but this father

was willing to

humiliate himself and

take the spotlight of

shame that his son

deserves on himself

why so that his son can

come home and that is

what Jesus does as he

goes to the cross to

take that from being a

nice story to being a

stunning reality why does

Jesus go to the cross

what is it that's made

him leave home in search

of rebels like us

why does he propitiate

turn away God's anger

against my sinful

creaturely rebellion

against this holy God

why does Jesus take it on

himself why does Jesus

take the humiliation and

shame that I deserve

why does he take the

nails that I deserve

why will he shed his

blood because it should

have been my blood that

was shed answer

he does it so that by

his grace I may be

forgiven

and that I might be

adopted into the family

of God

and that I might

love him

as he transforms my

heart I didn't see these

things before

but he's on my eyes

so that I can see the

all surpassing beauty

of Jesus

and I would live

because I know him

and I know the future

and I know the thing

that he's called me to

and I know about the

new creation that he

will return and bring

in one day where all

wrongs will be right

he calls me to live

for that future

and ultimately he calls

me to live for that

better city where he

is

you see friends that is

the gospel that I drift

from all the time

Jesus has done

everything

so that I may live

for a better city

mistakes in my past

guys he's dealt

with them

unknown future

he holds me

and he says

I'm with you

to the very end

and once we grasp

that

how could we settle

for the stuff

down here

you know I love

the funeral tomorrow

looking at the order

service

the song we're going

to finish with tomorrow

is because he lives

and it goes like this

because he lives I can

face tomorrow

because he lives all

fear is gone for I

know that he holds

the future

and life is worth the

living just because he

lives

the answer to settling

is not try harder

just in case your mind's

gone there already

it's not be better

it's not be a busier

and a better Christian

it's not serve in more

ways

it's not fill your

calendar

because that can drift

so easily into

legalism and moralism

the solution

is a heart

that's been gripped

and transformed

by

and is swimming

in the ocean

of the loving

grace of Jesus

and the new

identity that he

has given us

that he calls us

by his grace

to live for that

better city

you know just

as we close

I just want to tell

you about my

friend Kate

there was a

whatsapp group

over the last

couple of weeks

for her birthday

and she invited

all of us

who kind of

were in the same

group of friends

when we were young

hanging out together

and so I kind of

reconnected with all

those guys recently

and I remember Kate

when Kate was growing

up

and I remember

her becoming

a Christian

and so she went

by the name Kate

with a K

and all of a sudden

when she became

a Christian

she starts wanting

to be known

as Kate

with a C

and I was

during the 90s

and it was

only a few years

after that thing

when Prince

turned his name

into a symbol

I just thought

it was a fad

I remember

asking her why

and she said

the meaning

of the name

Catherine

with a C

which is my

real name

the meaning

of that name

is purity

and so

having given

my life

to Jesus

having been

saved by him

I just want

to draw a line

in the sand

between my

old life

which was

Kate

with a K

and my new

life that Jesus

has called me

to which is

Kate

with a C

because my

previous life

was dominated

by my mistakes

and my folly

and it should

have been me

with shame

but Jesus

has saved me

made me holy

and I'm going

to live as a

daughter of the

king

now the

application of

that is not

let's all

parade down

to register's

office and

change our

names

the application

is because of

the gospel

in Christ

the old

has gone

and the new

has come

and that's

who you are

today in

Jesus Christ

to celebrate

the gospel

I love this

song we're

going to

we sang it

earlier

and we

finish with

this

these are

the lyrics

and this

is what

it's all

about

isn't it

I was

blinded

by my

sin

I had

no ears

to hear

your voice

did not

know

your love

within

had no

taste

for heaven's

joys

then your

spirit

gave me

life

opened up

your word

to me

through

the gospel

of your

son

gave me

endless hope

in peace

and so

maybe that's

you today

mistakes in

the past

too many

unknowns about

the future

God says

because of

who he is

in Christ

he says

return

so what we're

going to do

now we're just

going to have a

moment of silence

and let's just

pour out hearts

before the Lord

wherever you're at

this morning

whatever God's

spirit however he

has taken it and

apply this to your

life let's

pause and be

quiet reverently

before the

Lord

and so

Father we

thank you

for the

truth of

Romans 8

chapter 1

that there

is now

no

condemnation

for those

who are

in

Christ

Jesus

and so

Father I

pray for us

this morning

Lord

many of us

will be aware

of the

mistakes in

the past

and I

pray

heavenly

father that

you would

bring that

knowledge by

your spirit

who is dwelling

in us he

would bring

that knowledge

of the

forgiveness

that's found

in Jesus

and the

newness of

life that's

found in

Jesus

and the

all surpassing

beauty of

life that's

found in

Jesus

and Father

as many of

us here as

well we

think about

the unknown

future we

think about

our church

family Lord

just now and

everything that

many of us are

going through

would your

spirit also

bring that

deep conviction

of what

Jesus has

won for us

on the

cross

about how

he holds

the future

about how

he is

sovereign over

everything that

happens today

Lord be at

work in our

hearts we

pray

oh Lord

help us

never to

settle

help us

always to

be those

people who

have an

eye on

the future

and so Lord

we thank you

for your

goodness help

us to live for

your glory this

week we pray

in Jesus'

name

Amen

Amen