Hi, My name is Liz Adekunle and I am the Archdeacon of Hackney in London.
Part of my role means that I spend a lot of time reading papers and running around meeting clergy in various churches in my area.
And like you, sometimes, in all the busyness of life, it is easy to rush around and not to stop and simply reflect: to give Glory to God for all that God has done and is doing in our lives.
And, of course to pray for other people to know God, and that is so important, because God offers a relationship like no other.
He offers the power to heal, and loves us and embraces us in a way that just overflows.
So I encourage you to pray for other people to know that deep wonderful and beautiful relationship.
I would also like to encourage us today to ask for God’s forgiveness, to come to God when we have made mistakes and to say, “Sorry.”
To come to God in humility, because the truth is, we do make mistakes.
We offend God, and we offend others.
And Jesus speaks quite a lot about forgiveness in the Bible, and that when we come in forgiveness, we are embraced and forgiven and loved because of that.
So I would love for us to pray.
So let’s pray.
In all the busyness of life, help us to make time to reflect and to say, “sorry” when we have said or done things that we are ashamed of, or when we feel overwhelmed by regret.
Help us to know that in our suffering, you suffer, too.
Please wash away these intense emotions with your Grace.
Help us to grasp more of your love, to receive your forgiveness and learn to forgive others as we have been forgiven. Help us to know that you love us and understand our hearts.
For you Love’s sake, we ask this in your name,
Amen.