22 June 2014

Collects

Prayers developed from the daily readings 

Sunday 22 June 2014 

Morning Prayer   

Psalm 93

God’s greatness is praised – more powerful than floods, more powerful than the seas. God’s commandments are sure and God lives in holiness.

Romans 1: 20 - 35

The material of creation provides everyone with the experience of God. But not everyone, looking at the universe and everything in, it gives honour and thanks to God. Humans are free to follow their own desires and to make images of humans or animals and use them as the centre of their lives. They are free to exchange the truth for a lie. They are free to do all sorts of behaviours that are futile, without love, harmful and degrading. They know these are not God’s way yet they do these things and encourage and applaud others who do them too. “Claiming to be wise, they became fools” (v.22).

Collect for Morning Prayer

Great Red Tingle tree
Tallest type of Australian Eucalypt
"Valley of the Giants" Walpole WA
2014 L Osburn

God of free will, your power and your love for us is beyond measure. We thank you that you give us the capacity to think, to analyse and to make decisions. It is clear you love us because you give us the capacity to recognise and choose you. You give us also the capacity and the commandment to love others including those who do not acknowledge you. Fill us with your love and care so that we demonstrate your love in this world and by our lives and example give others more evidence of you so that when they are ready to make a new decision, they can be confident and steadfast in that choice through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, and the power of your Holy Spirit. Amen.

Sunday 22 June 2014

Evening Prayer

Genesis 21: 22 – 33

Abimelech king of the Philistines, and Abraham make a covenant to deal fairly and truthfully with each other. Abraham later has cause to complain to Abimelech that the Philistines seized one of his wells. They make a second covenant and seal it with gifts to confirm that the well at Beer-Sheba is indeed one built by Abraham. Abraham plants a tamarisk tree there.

Psalm 69: 7 – 19

The psalmist is doing penance and is suffering ridicule and community humiliation. The psalmist knows that his great fault was his consuming zeal for God’s temple. The psalmist asks for rescue and redemption and will sit faithfully and wait for God’s response, in God’s time.

Matthew 10: 9 – 23

Jesus prepares 12 disciples for mission. They are to go not as tourists and not to pay their own way. When they enter a town they are to find a worthy person, go to their home, offer peace. If the people accept them, stay. If the people do not accept them, be internally peaceful and move on. If they are rejected, don’t ruminate on it like a stone or even grit in your sandal. Leave any thoughts of judgement to God.

Jesus then warns them of persecutions and trouble to come even within families. If the disciples are persecuted in a town they are to flee.

Collect for Evening Prayer

On the way to Port Augusta
at the top of Spencer Gulf SA
2014 L Osburn

Holy and mighty Lord, you know us through and through. You know we are capable of making peace even with those who fear us. You know too that we can be consumed with zeal for a worthy task and act like fools – going too far. But you Lord have given us instructions for or mission based in peace, humility and respect. Be with us now at the end of this day and help us prepare for the week ahead. May we feel your deep peace and love so that we may walk and work in your peace and love, respecting those we meet through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, and the power of your Holy Spirit. Amen.