The people were all so amazed that they asked each other, “What is this? A new teaching—and with authority! He even gives orders to impure spirits and they obey him.” News about him spread quickly over the whole region of Galilee.   Mark 1 : 27 - 28

Readings this week :  Deuteronomy 18 : 15 - 20; Revelation 12 : 1 – 5a; Mark 1 : 21 - 28

These days so often the idea of authority has alongside it the need to challenge, question, and be held to account. We have seen authority so often misused or mishandled. At best, as humans, we can at least expect to have limitations on any authority we may have, and quite rightly so!

But this is not so with Jesus’ authority. Jesus’ teaching style had a unique authority, not relying on the texts and thoughts of others to support His teaching. And from His teaching flowed His unique and supreme authority over the natural and supernatural world. The source of Jesus’ authority lay in the truth of who He is. The one who created all things, who is the source of goodness and Light, and above all the one whose authority alone brings hope and new life.

We can pray for all earthly and human authorities that they will listen to the Lord, seek His will and be guided by Jesus’ supreme, life – giving authority.

We can also pray for ourselves in our relations to others, the words we speak, the thoughts we have, that our relationships will bring healing, wholeness, forgiveness and life. 

Rev Paul

Prayers for this week

God our creator, who in the beginning commanded the light to shine out of darkness: we pray that the light of the glorious gospel of Christ may dispel the darkness of ignorance and unbelief, shine into the hearts of all your people, and reveal the knowledge of your glory in the face of Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, 

Amen

God of heaven, you send the gospel to the ends of the earth and your messengers to every nation: send your Holy Spirit to transform us by the good news of everlasting life in Jesus Christ our Lord.

 Amen.

People to pray for :

For those in authority in our nation and our communities

For ourselves in our responsibility to one another

For those in authority in the NHS