11 July 2014
Collects
Prayers
developed from the daily readings
Friday 11
July 2014
Morning
Prayer
Psalms
28 and 29
In the
first psalm, the there is an appeal to not be like people who don’t believe and
/ or those who are deceitful. The psalmist changes focus and reminds us how big
and powerful God is.
The
next psalm picks up this theme of the almighty power of God whose voice makes
water, forests, mountains and fire dance or whirl. The Lord’s power brings
people confidence and peace.
2 Chronicles 24: 15 – 25:
4
After the priest Jehoiada’s
death, King Joash takes his counsel from officials in Judah. The sacred poles
and idols are reinstated. God sends prophets but they are ignored. God sends Zechariah
who warns Joash. Zechariah is stoned to
death. By the end of the year the Syrians invade and take all the belongings to
Damascus. Joash is wounded and his servants kill him.
Amaziah, Joash’s son takes
the throne, he kills the servants who killed his father and appears to turn
back to God.
John 4: 27 – 42
Jesus is at the well with
the Samaritan woman. The disciples return. The woman goes to the city tells
people, invites them to come and see Jesus and to make up their own minds.
Meanwhile the disciples try
to get Jesus to eat. He talks about how he is fed by doing God’s work and
seeing the harvest beginning. He tells the disciples they are about to benefit
from the harvesting done by others.
Many Samaritans come from
the city. They believe the woman’s testimony and asked Jesus to stay. Then they
say that their belief is confirmed by what they heard from Jesus themselves.
Collect for
Morning Prayer
Hay in the shining sun. Eyre Peninsula SA 2014 L Osburn |
Holy and mighty God nothing is too hard for you. You
can reunite separated peoples and nations if they believe in you and are
faithful. Give us grace as you did the Samaritan woman, to tell others of our
experience with you and to invite them to your presence so that meeting you
face-to-face they too can experience your saving love through Jesus Christ your
Son our Lord. Amen.
Friday 11 July
2014
Evening
Prayer
Psalms
30 and 32
The
first psalm is of praise and thanksgiving for healing and prayers answered.
The
second is a lament and also of praise and deep thanks for the times God has
answered prayers. It ends reminding us that the Lord preserves the faithful so
we are to be strong, be courageous and wait.
Ezekiel 18: 1 – 23 (24 –
29) 30 – 32
Ezekiel prophesies and
says that the righteousness of the parent will not wash away the sins of the
offspring and nor will the sins of that person mean that a righteous grandchild
is punished. People’s sins are their own. If a righteous person becomes sinful
– the consequences are theirs alone. Past righteousness doesn’t wash away the
most recent sin.
So Ezekiel is instructed
to tell the people to repent, “get yourselves a new heart and a new spirit!”
(v. 31). “Turn, then, and live” (v.32).
Galatians 4: 8 – 20
Paul is concerned that the
Galatians have started observing old festivals that belong to the elemental
spirits they worshipped before they were Christian. For Paul, this is
“backsliding” and he worries that he has wasted his time with them. He recalls
that when he first came he was unwell but they welcomed him and treated him
like a holy messenger. Now he feels devalued because he is telling them the truth
and they are rejecting it.
Others who want them to
comply with the Mosaic Law, be converted to Judaism and be celebrated, are
courting them. Paul wants then to be celebrated already. He feels like he has
to start again with them, he wants to be with them so that he can be gentler –
but he is away and his message has to come by letter.
Collect for
Evening Prayer
Evening Armadale WA 2014 L Osburn |
Loving and forgiving God you are there ready for us always. We slip up. We
do the wrong thing. All you ask is that we repent, acknowledge what we have done
wrong, clean out and soften our hearts and come back to you. Hold us now as we
take that step. Open our hearts so that we may, by your grace, be restored through
Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, and the power of your Holy Spirit. Amen.
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