22 May 2014

Collects

Prayers developed from the daily readings 

Thursday 22 May 2014 

Morning Prayer   

Psalm 51

This is a penitential psalm. It is a prayer of intense repentance. The psalmist asks for sins to be washed away, for the heart to be made clean, and to be restored to salvation. Sacrifice is not a burnt offering but a humble and contrite heart. The psalmist promises to teach others the ways of God so that they too can offer prayers and praise.

Numbers 16: 1 – 19

There is a revolt in the camp. Some of the Levites do not want to be subordinate to Aaron. They state that all of them are holy. They too want to be priested. Others do not want to be subordinate to Moses either but to be able to approach God directly in the tent of meeting.

Moses tells them to get a censer each and put incense in it and God will decide who may approach.

John 13: 1 – 11

Jesus is aware that his time is short and that Judas is about to betray Him. He prepares to wash the disciples’ feet. Peter initially refuses to allow his Lord to serve. Jesus says if he does not he has no connection with Him. Peter offers all of himself to be washed. Jesus responds that he is already clean where it counts.

Collect for Morning Prayer

Wandirup National Park WA
2014 L Osburn

Great and all-knowing God, you know our hearts and whether we approach you in humility, in contrition or in pride and self-confidence. Mobilise your holy spirit in us so that we thank you for all our blessings and treat others we meet as more holy than ourselves knowing that it is by grace you come to any of us through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord and the power of your Holy Spirit. Amen.

Thursday 22 May 2014

Evening Prayer

Psalms 52 and 53

This psalm is directly to and about an evil person – someone who plots and boasts about the mischief caused. It is a person who deceives and who does not take refuge in God. The psalmist warns that God will respond and the evil one will be humiliated.

The second psalm is about those who do not believe and who do evil. God’s response to them will be terrifying. The psalmist prays for the people of Israel to be delivered and for their fortunes to be restored.

Exodus 33: 18 – 34: 10

Moses asks to see God’s glory. God agrees to pass before him but will shelter him and a cleft in the rock and shield Moses’s face. God agrees to rewrite the commandments on new tablets of stone that Moses cuts.

God passes and Moses hears the proclamation that God is merciful, gracious, slow to anger and steadfast in love and faithfulness, forgiving sin but not clearing the guilty and not removing the consequences of the transgressions even if those consequences go across generations.

Moses worships and asks God to be with the people even though they are “stiff-necked”. God promises to do great wonders for and with his people.

1 Corinthians 8

Paul’s instructions here need context. Meat sold in general markets often had been pre-sacrificed to idols or other Gods and sometimes people met for social functions at temples where a meal is included. So what should a Christian do?

First there is only one God and one Lord Jesus Christ. But there are people steeped in the idol culture who are not yet strong believers. No matter what we know and understand, what is more important is God knowing us. Our job is to ensure that our behaviour does not confuse others or cause them to stumble. We are to modify our behaviour. Paul says, if eating meat will cause someone to believe idols have power, he would stop eating meat.

Collect for Evening Prayer

The Old Eyre Highway Across the Nullabor Plain
Nullabor SA 2014 L Osburn

Holy and loving God to you we are all precious. As we reflect on today help us see where our choices and our behaviours helped or hindered others to know, love you and trust you so that we can avoid inadvertently leading others into sin and the consequences that will flow for them. Help us Lord to grow in our ability to truly love our neighbours and demonstrate that in our actions through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord and the power of your Holy Spirit. Amen.