5 July 2014

Collects

Prayers developed from the daily readings 

Saturday 5 July 2014 

Morning Prayer

Psalms 15 and 16

The first psalm lists the moral characteristics of people who are permitted in the temple. People who tell the truth, care for their neighbour and behave ethically.

The second psalm praises and blesses God and delights in the faithful. The psalmist commits to support people of faith and uses personal testimony of how God has enriched his life.

2 Chronicles 20: 20 – 27

Jehosophat assembles the people, places the Levites at the front and instructs them to sing praises to God. They walk to the pass. When the scouts look down on the valley to the combined armies of Edom, Ammon and Moab they find a field of bodies. The armies had fought among themselves and destroyed each other. Jehospohat and his people find livestock and all manner of booty, which they collect. They assemble before returning and call the valley, the Valley of Blessing. They return to Jerusalem praising God.

Acts 15: 22 – 35

The apostles and elders in Jerusalem, with the consent of the community decide to send a letter to the churches in Antioch, Syria and Cilicia. Barsabbas (aka Judas) and Silas are to accompany Paul and Barnabas. The letter is to the Christian people from other nations. It says that the church in Jerusalem knows that people without authority, told them unsettling things. Judas and Silas will affirm this personally. It reaffirmed how loved Paul and Barnabas are and how much they have risked for Christ. The letter says “it seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us to impose on you no further burden than these essentials” (v. 28). The essentials are to abstain from food sacrificed to idols, from blood, from strangled things and from fornication.

The people in Antioch rejoice. Judas and Silas stay a while and encourage the people, then return to Jerusalem.

Collect for Morning Prayer

Leaves in a breeze
2014 L Osburn

God of all peoples, you love us and protect us. All you want from us is that we love you, and deeply care for and respect our relationships with each other. That is all you ask and all we need to do. Help us take this in. Help us feel your blessings, freedom and release and fill us with joy and praise for you through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, and the power of your Holy Spirit. Amen.

Saturday 5 July 2014

Evening Prayer

Psalm 17: 1 – 13 (14) 15 – 16

The psalmist is a faithful and devout person who has been beset by wicked enemies. God’s protection and care is requested. God is asked to overthrow the wickedness. The psalmist wants relationships restored: him with God, the people with God and with him.

Ezekiel 12: 1 – 20

Ezekiel is told to act out exile and the terror and fear than comes from invasion. He is to pack his things for exile in plain sight, to dig a hole though the wall and to leave at night with his face covered. When he is asked what is he doing he is to say that this is what will happen and that the King and people will be taken into exile in Babylon. They will eat their food in fear and trembling.

Galatians 2: 1 – 10

Paul recalls how he with Barnabas and Titus went to Jerusalem and talked with the leaders of the church there. They checked that what they were proclaiming was on track. Paul reports that his commission to take the gospel to the Gentiles was accepted and is as valid at Peter’s commission to take the gospel to the Jews, and all those of the Mosaic tradition. Those in Jerusalem asked Paul to remember the poor. By this is meant send donations for the work with the poor in Jerusalem.

Collect for Evening Prayer

Sanctuary Island
Deniliquin NSW 2014 L Osburn

Great builder and champion of relationships, you want us all to have a great relationship with you and with each other. You commission us to take your gospel to others and to act out in our daily lives your instructions – to love you and love others. Be with us now, help us be still and listen to your voice so that we can hear and feel your love and receive your direction for the days ahead through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, and the power of your Holy Spirit in our hearts. Amen.