3 April 2014

Collects

Prayers developed from the daily readings 

Thursday 3 April 2014

Morning Prayer

Psalm 78: 16 – 38

This portion of the psalm recounts the complaints against God when the Hebrews are in the desert with Moses. Water is produced from rocks, food falls from the sky: both bread and birds. They have little faith and yet when they repent, God forgives.

Jeremiah 38: 1 – 13

Jeremiah keeps prophesying that the city will fall and those in it will die and those who go out to the Babylonians, will live. His actions are assessed as undermining the defences of the city. He is taken and thrown into a cistern where there is only mud, and is left to die. An Ethiopian court official goes to the king and says – this isn’t the way to treat a prophet. Jeremiah is lifted from the cistern and taken back to the court of the guard.

Luke 19: 1 – 10

Jesus is in Jericho. In the crowd that gathers is Zacchaeus, a tax collector; a man of small stature who has to climb a tree to get a good view. As Jesus passes he notices Zacchaeus, asks him to come down and says that he will eat at his home. Zacchaeus makes an undertaking to give half his wealth to the poor and shows he has been honest by offering to give back 4 – fold to anyone who he has defrauded. Jesus comes to seek and save the lost. Zacchaeus is shown to be a righteous person, he might collect taxes, but he isn’t lost. His small stature is not evidence of sin. He is a true son of Abraham.

Collect for Morning Prayer

From the desert to the sea. WA 2014
L Osburn

Generous and compassionate God you know us. You hear us when we call. Grant that we today can keep in mind the eternal story of your saving grace, praise you and thank you continually so that our faith in you is reinforced and strengthened through Jesus Christ our Lord and the power of your Holy Spirit. Amen.

Thursday 3 April 2014

Evening Prayer

Psalm 78: 39 – 70

The psalmist shows how short the memories of humans are and how fickle. The Hebrews in the desert do not remember or take into account the miracles of God that enabled their freedom. They have little faith. God holds on and makes decisions about the future of the people and who is to lead them, for example choosing the line of Judah rather than the line of Joseph: choosing David and Jerusalem. Whether humans are faithful or not, God still provides guidance.

Exodus 4: 1 – 23 (24-26)

Moses is still out on Mt Horeb conversing with God about his mission to the Pharaoh to free the Hebrews. “What if they don’t believe I really talked with you?” God gives him three signs. “But I’m not eloquent.” God counters with who gives the capacity for speech to any human? God promises to guide his words. Moses begs God, “Please send someone else”. So God said to Moses to go with Aaron. Aaaron is fluent. Work together.

Moses seeks permission from Jethro, his father-in-law to go back to Egypt and see his family. He leaves with his immediate family members for Egypt.

The Lord instructs Moses to go to Pharaoh and perform the signs and warns Moses that Pharaoh’s heart will be hard initially. Pharaoh’s first-born son will die.

Hebrews 13: 1 – 6

Love each other. Be hospitable. Remember prisoners and those being tortured. Honour marriage. Don’t put money first: be content with what you have for God will never leave us of forsake us. We can say confidently:

“The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can anyone do to me?”(v.6)

Collect for Evening Prayer

Evening at Streaky Bay, SA 2014
L Osburn

God of empowerment, you protect us, you build us up, you put us in situations where we learn new skills and our strength and capacity grows. Help us do the same for each other so that we all can say “The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid” through Jesus Christ and the power of your Holy Spirit. Amen.