Sunday 28th June 2026

  

Welcome to Sunday Focus. We pray you will be blessed as you listen to the songs and read the Word of God.

   

 

Hymn -  Christ is Made The Sure Foundation

 

O God of time and eternity-
creator of all that is,
beyond our imagining
and yet present to each person who call on you-
we worship you today.

In peace, and in the quietness of your holy presence,
we would be still
and know that you are God.

For you never let us down,
even in the most testing of situations.
In silence,
we would draw near to you
as you draw near to us,
and be aware of your hidden presence
in our lives.

 

Song -  Draw Me Close To You

 

Bible Reading

Psalm 13 (NRSV)

Prayer for Deliverance from Enemies
To the leader. A Psalm of David.

1 How long, O Lord? Will you forget me for ever?
    How long will you hide your face from me?
2 How long must I bear pain in my soul,
    and have sorrow in my heart all day long?
How long shall my enemy be exalted over me?

3 Consider and answer me, O Lord my God!
    Give light to my eyes, or I will sleep the sleep of death,
4 and my enemy will say, ‘I have prevailed’;
    my foes will rejoice because I am shaken.

5 But I trusted in your steadfast love;
    my heart shall rejoice in your salvation.
6 I will sing to the Lord,
    because he has dealt bountifully with me.

 

As is often commented, the Psalms demonstrate the freedom we have to be totally honest with God. In them we find expressions of hope, doubt, fear, courage, celebration, lament and more; we find general principles stated and exceptions highlighted.  However, what is common throughout is a trust in God: God's love, goodness, wisdom and power – a trust that allows the worshipper to be honest and a trust that frees them to continue trusting, whatever the circumstances. 

 

Song - I am Trusting Thee Lord Jesus

  

2 Corinthians 1:3-11

Praise to the God of all comfort

 

3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, 4 who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God. 5 For just as we share abundantly in the sufferings of Christ, so also our comfort abounds through Christ. 6 If we are distressed, it is for your comfort and salvation; if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which produces in you patient endurance of the same sufferings we suffer. 7 And our hope for you is firm, because we know that just as you share in our sufferings, so also you share in our comfort.

Here in 2 Corinthians 1:3-11, like the Psalmist, Paul is open about his trouble: both to God and to others. But this openness is an openness of faith, even when doubts and questions arise. So Paul can legitimately highlight and emphasize the priority of prayer and the consequent consolation which he receives. Further, Paul's example in this helps others follow this same path when they suffer, and in turn receive the same consolation (vv.5-7).

 

Song -  Faithful One

 

Our Father, who art in heaven,

Hallowed be your name.
Your kingdom come.
Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.  
Give us this day our daily bread
And forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors
And lead us not into temptation
But deliver us from evil.
For yours is the kingdom, the power and the glory.
Forever.

Amen

 

Hymn -  O Lord My Rock and My Redeemer

 

Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy, to the only God, our Saviour, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen.

Jude 24–25

with thanks to C of S  worship