prepared by Chris Hancock – 10th May 2026
Loving God we come to you in the quiet. We set aside our busy day to spend time with you.
We need to be refreshed, renewed and reawakened to your presence with us. We pray as we reflect and seek your guidance that you will make clear to us the pathways we should travel. Amen
Hymn 1 317 At the name of Jesus
Prayers
Loving God, we come into your presence filled with wonder and awe because we know you are at work in our lives. You know each one of us by name, you know everything about us and you hold us in your great love and care always pouring out to us your limitless mercy and grace. We thank you for your resurrection power which gives us freedom and life.
Lord, we often fall short in the way we live our lives. In the things we say and do and in those words we choose not to say or things we choose not to do. Help us to set our eyes and our hearts on you afresh. We thank you that you are ever ready to forgive us for our failings. We rejoice in your glorious words of mercy that our sins are forgiven, and we may go in peace. Amen
Lesson John 14 v 15 – 21 (NIV)
Jesus Promises the Holy Spirit
15 “If you love me, keep my commands. 16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever— 17 the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. 18 I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. 19 Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. 20 On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you. 21 Whoever has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me. The one who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love them and show myself to them.”
Reflection
In our lives we find that when our love is well expressed in consideration and in respect, in holy humility and in divine giving, that blessings flow abundantly, and we know fully the love we are supposed to know, we know the secret of the universe; God is as completely revealed to us as he can be during our earthly lives.
But when we hold back when we do not do all that love asks us to do something goes missing inside us - we begin to suffer aches and pains even though the love is still all around us, still calling out to us, still seeking for us the very best.
In our Gospel reading Christ speaks of his final and ultimate gift to all who are a part of God's family - of his family - the gift of the Holy Spirit.
Jesus tells the disciples that if they love him, they will keep his commandments.
And he promises them his Spirit unconditionally - a Spirit that will be an advocate for them, and comfort them, and lead them and watch over them. He promises them that the Spirit of God will live in them.
Jesus also assures his disciples that they will see him again - that because he lives and will continue to live so will they - and that they will know that he is in the Father and that they are in him and he is in them.
Then he goes on to remind them of what he had said before
"They who have my commandments and keep them are those who love
me; and those who love me will be loved by my Father, and I will
love them and reveal myself to them."
This is a promise and a reminder.
The promise of his eternal and holy presence urging and supporting and comforting us no matter what.
And the reminder that we will see and feel the full glory of that gift when we are in the righteous space, the loving space, God calls us to.
Jesus gives us the gift of his eternal love and reminds us of how love works: of how while there is unconditional affection and care there is as well the hope that the love will be returned - so that we will know the fullness of the love we are receiving.
Jesus reminds us that love needs to be returned - not just directly, in expressions of devotion, but also indirectly, in actions where we pass on the love to others.
Jesus makes us promises and he gives to us reminders, reminders that there are consequences to what we do wonderful consequences and sometimes not so wonderful consequences.
Take the time each day to know him, treat him as a friend, talk to him and make him special to yourselves. Treat his wishes as your deepest desire, his every suggestion and hint as your greatest yearning.
Really hold on to him and to hold his word in your awareness. Really listen and then to really do.
It is all so simple a child can get it and do it, and so wonderful and so rich that it gives to us all the years of our lives and fills us with awe and with power.
All these things the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit have told us so that we might have the fullness of God's blessings - that we may know the true glory of love and the eternal joy and strength that life in Him brings.
God is with us - Christ is in us - the Spirit is all around us.
God is not an unknown god. He wants us to seek him to reach out for him and find him, for he is not far from any one of us. ‘For in him we live and move and have our being.’ ‘We are his children.’
When we look and see - love and abide in him - are true and obey him as our Lord - life will blossom all around us and God will be revealed in his fullness to each one of us and to the world around us. Amen
Hymn 2 STF 377 – Down the mountain
| 1 Down the mountain the river flows, and it brings refreshment wherever it goes. Through the valleys and over the fields, the river is rushing and the river is here. The river of God sets our feet a-dancing, the river of God fills our hearts with cheer; the river of God fills our mouths with laughter, and we rejoice for the river is here. | 2 The river of God is teeming with life, and all who touch it can be revived. And those who linger on this river’s shore will come back thirsting for more of the Lord. 3 Up to the mountain we love to go to find the presence of the Lord. Along the banks of the river we run, we dance with laughter, giving praise to the Son. Andy Park |
Prayer of intercession
Loving God, we praise you for the resurrection of your Son Jesus. May our lives show that we believe in the triumph of the cross. Through our works of love let us continue to declare our Lord’s resurrection. Give us courage to speak boldly of you and strengthen us with your Spirit. (Short Silence) – Lord, in your Mercy: Hear our Prayer
We pray for peace in our troubled world. In the silence we speak our own prayers for the world remembering Israel and Palestine, Ukraine and Russia, Iran and the Gulf States and so many places where there is conflict and war.…. (Short Silence) – Lord, in your Mercy: Hear our Prayer
Loving God we pray for those we know and love who need our prayers at this time because they are unwell in body, mind or spirit. Heal and strengthen weak bodies, calm confused minds and reassure the lonely with your company. We raise before you those names we have on our own hearts…. (Short Silence) – Lord, in your Mercy: Hear our Prayer
We remember before you those who have died and those of us left to mourn them. Help us to always remember that death could not hold your Son Jesus Christ and that new life for him means new life for all who believe in Him. (Short Silence) – Lord, in your Mercy: Hear our Prayer
We offer these prayers in the all powerful name of your Son, our Saviour, Jesus Christ. Amen
Hymn 3 STF 345 – And can it be
| 1 And can it be that I should gain an interest in the Saviour’s blood? Died he for me, who caused his pain? For me, who him to death pursued? Amazing love! How can it be that thou, my God, shouldst die for me? 2 ‘Tis mystery all: the Immortal dies! Who can explore his strange design? In vain the first-born seraph tries to sound the depths of love divine. ‘Tis mercy all! Let earth adore, let angel minds enquire no more. 3 He left his Father’s throne above — so free, so infinite his grace — emptied himself of all but love, and bled for Adam’s helpless race. ‘Tis mercy all, immense and free; for, O my God, it found out me! | 4 Long my imprisoned spirit lay fast bound in sin and nature’s night; thine eye diffused a quickening ray — I woke, the dungeon flamed with light, my chains fell off, my heart was free, I rose, went forth, and followed thee. 5 No condemnation now I dread; Jesus, and all in him, is mine! Alive in him, my living Head, and clothed in righteousness divine, bold I approach the eternal throne, and claim the crown, through Christ, my own. Charles Wesley (1707–1788) |
Blessing
As we continue our walk with God, we offer him all our doubts and fears. What joy is ours when we hear those wonderful words of assurance that his blessing will rest upon us, now in this very moment, for the remainder of our lives and on into everlasting life. Hallelujah! Amen.
