29 September 2014

Collects

Prayers developed from the daily readings 

Monday 29 September 2014 

Morning Prayer

Psalm 69: 1 – 16

This psalmist is a lowly servant of the Lord and through zeal has done something that causes him to be the butt of jokes and ridicule. The psalmist is fasting and in sackcloth. He pleads for deliverance and praises God.

Joel 2: 25 – 3: 8

Joel speaks of the end times when the sun goes dark, the moon turns blood red, God judges all the nations and all the Jews are returned from slavery and their slavers are sold on to others.

Matthew 9: 1 – 13

Friends carry a paralysed man to Jesus. Jesus recognises the man’s faith and forgives his sins. The scribes complain that this is blaspheming. Jesus then and shows them he has been given the authority to forgive sins since he can heal whole bodies. He tells the man to get up and walk which he does. The people rejoice that such authority is given to a human.

Jesus sees Matthew in the tax booth and says, “Follow me”. Later when he is eating with the tax collectors, the Pharisees complain. He replies that those who are well do not need a physician and quotes scripture as their lesson “I desire mercy, not sacrifice” (v.13). Jesus then states his mission is to those who sin.

Collect for Morning Prayer

Crab in a rock pool
Cape Leuuwin WA 2014 L Osburn

Merciful and Loving God you know what it is like to be the butt of public opinion and ill-informed judgements. It is your opinion of us that ultimately matters. Be with us today as we do your will. Guide us in your mercy and love. Enable us to truly forgive the sins of others so that your will is done and your great mission is continued in us through Jesus Christ. Amen.

Monday 29 September 2014

Evening Prayer

Psalms 69: 17 – 23 (24 – 30) 31 – 38

The psalmist praises the Lord and is suffering from insults and dishonour. When he goes for counsel and support the response is bitter, and heart-breaking – no real compassion. The psalmist is very angry, he wants God’s wrath to destroy and punish, but he leaves that anger with and for God. The psalmist praises God, who unlike a God in the form of a bull, will listen. The psalmist ends in praise and a plea to God to come quickly.

1 Maccabees 3: 27 – 41

King Antiochus is enraged by the defeat so sets up a system to fund an army then realises he does not have the treasury to sustain it. He prevously abolished laws that made the land productive and his income is depleted. He delegates half his forces to Lysias to defeat the Maccabees. Antiochus travels across the Euphrates to the northern territories to raise the funds. A massive army goes to the plain of Emmaus and slave traders attend the site with their fetters ready to take the captured Jews away.

Colossians 1: 1 – 8

Paul greets the community at Colossae and recognises their faith and hope found from hearing the gospel from Epaphras, a faithful minister of Christ.

Collect for Evening Prayer

Rock Pool Cape Leuuwin
WA 2014 L Osburn

Holy and awesome God, you hear us, and you give us hope in times of trouble and loneliness, against overwhelming opposition and when we are starting out new communities of faith with you. Keep our hope, faith and love alive and strong so that we through our actions may also be your faithful ministers and make known your love in the Spirit through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.