16 April 2014

Collects

Prayers developed from the daily readings 

Wednesday 16 April 2014

Morning Prayer

Psalm 88

This is a prayer of a faithful person who has been seriously ill since childhood and now believes they are close to death. The prayer asks God to listen. The psalmist is bold with God. “Is your steadfast love declared in the grave…?” (v.11). The only sense of hope in this psalm is in God’s response.

Isaiah 63: 1 – 9

The chapter begins with an ancient poem depicting God as a divine warrior avenging his enemies and the enemies of his people: no earthly warrior, no prophet. He is alone. There is no human agent in this poem. God’s alone is the victory. He redeemed his people he lifted them up in his love.

Mark 12: 35 – 13: 13

Jesus challenges those in the temple about on how the scribes say, “the Messiah is the son of David?” (v.35). He encourages the crowds to question and to watch the scribes and see their hypocrisy. He shows them how to watch and think. He gives an example what he saw and learned from watching who put what into the treasury. He found that a poor widow gave her all to God, while others who give much actually only gave out of their surplus.

A disciple draws Jesus’ attention to the architecture, the grandeur of the buildings. Jesus tells him that in the future all that will be gone too. The disciples come and ask about the end times. Jesus warns them about false prophets, wars and natural disasters. They will be persecuted and counsels them not to prepare a defence but to rely on the Holy Spirit at the time. The whole social fabric will be disrupted.

Collect for Morning Prayer

Ruins if the Old Telegraph Station*
Eucla WA 2014 L Osburn

Almighty God the strength of your love for us is beyond our comprehension. You alone fight the battles for our souls. Be with us today, fight for us, stand by us as we work, live and love in your world so that we can step out courageously and show from our actions your love for all your creation through Jesus Christ our Lord and the power of your Holy Spirit. Amen.

Wednesday 16 April 2014

Evening Prayer

Psalm 31

“Into you hand I commit my spirit” (v.5). This is a great prayer of thankfulness and faith. The psalmist calls for help and suggests to God about what might be done with wicked and insolent people. Primarily the psalmist is dedicating all of himself to God, reaffirming faith and trust in God and in praise and thankfulness acknowledging God’s goodness. The psalm ends entreating all to love God, to be faithful, to be strong and to be of good courage as we wait for the Lord.

Jeremiah 11: 18 – 20

This is a lament from Jeremiah who is the target of an assassination attempt. He was led by the Lord to denounce evil deeds of others and like a “lamb led to the slaughter” (v.19), found that his life was now the target. Jeremiah commits his cause to God.

1 Peter 2: 19 – 25

The letter encourages people in a time of persecution. If we are punished for doing wrong, we need to accept that. When we are punished for doing the right thing and loving God, then that is worthy. We are doing our job and following in the steps of Christ. The writer goes on to describe Jesus’ response to abuse. He did not defend or attack back. He trusted himself to God. He carried our sins to the cross so that we might heal and return to God.

Collect for Evening Prayer

Travellers Cross Eucla WA
2014 L Osburn

Gentle saving God, you love us. It only takes us a minute to look around this planet and see your abundant love for us. Help us this night to reflect on our day and again commit our souls and our lives to your strong and soft embrace through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord and the power of your Holy Spirit. Amen.

* The telegraph station was part of a network that enabled communications from the northern hemisphere to be transmitted to Australia and across the continent to the east coast. In its time, a miracle of modern communication.