12 November 2014

Collects

Prayers developed from the daily readings 

Wednesday 12 November 2014 

Morning Prayer

Psalm 33

This psalm is a great hymn of praise to God citing evidence including creation, oversight of nations, strength beyond that of people or war-horses, the steadfast love that delivers our souls from death. The psalm ends saying our souls wait for the Lord, our hearts are glad because we trust and with an appeal for God’s steadfast love to be with us.

Jonah 3

God instructs Jonah a second time to go to Nineveh and proclaim his word. Jonah goes. Nineveh is so large it takes three days to walk across. On the first day Jonah calls out “Forty days and Nineveh will be overthrown!” The people believe, put on sackcloth and ashes and repent. The king hears, does the same and proclaims a fast. God seeing their response decides not to destroy the city.

Matthew 23: 16 – 28

Jesus indicts the Pharisees who have confused themselves and others and by the confusion are making it harder for people to get to God. The gold artefacts in the sanctuary are not what make the place holy or an oath real. The sanctuary does that. Similarly the gift on the altar isn’t as important as the altar it is on. It is the altar, the sanctuary and God’s throne, heaven: the place God dwells, and more importantly God’s dwelling there, that makes the oath real.

Equally the Pharisees tithe stuff – herbs and spices – but forget to tithe justice, mercy and faith. Jesus accuses them of straining a gnat but swallowing a camel. He demands we clean up our inner life before worrying about outward appearances.

Collect for Morning Prayer

Benedictine Abbey Jamberoo NSW
2012 L Osburn

Almighty creator, ever living God you know our span of life is but a breath. You want us – the faithful the godless and the confused – to take the opportunity we have to listen, take stock and clean up our inner lives. Help us this day to notice any sneaky idol worship:  seeing power in things or processes rather than in you. Help us to notice when we forget to tithe justice, mercy and faith. In your steadfast love help us switch our focus back to you so that we may respond to your call just as the people of Nineveh heard and responded through Jesus Christ Your Son our Lord and Your Holy Spirit in our hearts. Amen.

Wednesday 12 November 2014

Evening Prayer

Psalm 31

This powerful psalm is on the theme of taking refuge in God and has the words “Into your hand I commit my spirit”. The second part asks for God’s grace and the final part praises God and encourages us to love the Lord, “be strong and let your heart take courage” (v. 24).

Wisdom 1: 1 – 15

We are to love righteousness and seek God sincerely. God is not found by people who put God to the test “wisdom will not enter a deceitful soul or dwell in a body enslaved to sin. For a holy and disciplined spirit will flee from deceit and leave foolish thoughts behind” (vv. 4 -5).

God hears our words and observes our hearts – we will not escape notice. So we need to beware of useless grumbling, or lying, or inviting death by the way we live our lives or the things we do with our hands. God doesn’t delight in death of living things. Righteousness is undying.

Revelation 3: 14 – 22

John is to write to the church in Laodicea. Jesus knows their works and they are lukewarm. Jesus prefers them to be either cold or hot. Because they are lukewarm they are about to be rejected by Jesus. The people say, “I am rich, I have prospered, I need nothing” (v.17). Really they are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind and naked. Jesus wants them to repent and spend their resources on that. Jesus is standing at their door knocking. Will they let Jesus in to eat and drink with them? If they conquer, they will have a place with Christ in God’s kingdom.

Collect for Evening Prayer

Benedictine Abbey
Jamberoo NSW 2012 L Osburn

Holy God you want us to be in relationship with you eternally. Help us this night to search our hearts and turn them to you so that Jesus may come and eat with us and that your Holy Spirit finds our souls free from deceit, our bodies cleared of sin and can dwell in our hearts through Jesus Christ our Lord and Saviour. Amen.