The writer of Psalm 63 says in v8 “My soul clings to you, your right hand upholds me.” This week thank God that even when our grip is weak, His grasp on us is always strong.

Before you download this week’s news sheet, why not sit quietly and take a few long, deep breaths. Focus your thoughts on Jesus, on His cross, on His empty tomb and ask God to fill you with a deep awareness of His unbreakable love for YOU.

The last 12 months have undoubtedly formed the most unusual year in most of our lives – made more unusual, in that no one saw it coming. No one except God that is. Despite the difficulties we have all be experiencing, it’s good to know that we can trust God in all things. God has given us so much in the past, and the great news is, He will again and again. You can be confident in God.

Before reading this weekend’s news sheet, take a moment to prepare your heart to listen to what God wants you to read between the lines. Ask God to draw near to you as you draw near to Him.

As today is St. Valentine’s day, when not begin by praying for the love of your life. Why not recall the happy moments you spent together and give God thanks and praise.

Whilst we are still fairy isolated through the coronavirus restrictions, it is perhaps a good time to think about when you worked as part of a good team. Think about what makes an effective team and how important it is to maintain unity. Why not also think about how you could bless your friends and neighbours this week as part of God’s team here at ABC.

Let’s face it, the last 10 months has been an incredibly difficult for all of us – often separated from our loved ones for weeks on end – but there is good news. God is always near if you simply open your spiritual eyes. He is telling us today that ” … as we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us (Hebrews 12:1). God has laid out the course, we simply have to trust Him and follow His path.

God has given you 24 hours every day, with a free choice on how you spend each one of them. Well why not use one of them to pray to the Lord beginning with, “Lord Jesus, grant me ears to hear your words, and a willing heart to obey you.” After all today is Sunday – the day of the Lord – so why not spend some time listening to Him?

I wonder how you are feeling today? As I write this it is raining heavily outside, it seems very dark for the time of day. and it is generally pretty miserable. Even so, there is good news in that we have a God who actually wants us to pour our our hearts and minds to Him at any time of the day. Why not do that now?

As we face another time of partial lockdown, please don’t be downhearted. Instead think back to another time of suffering or testing that you have experienced. How did the Lord sustain and deliver you? Why not thank Him now by singing a hymn outloud!