8 November 2014

Collects

Prayers developed from the daily readings 

Saturday 8 November 2014 

Morning Prayer

Psalms 20 and 21: 1 – 7 (8 – 13)

The first psalm begins as a bidding prayer asking that the King’s prayers be heard and answered. God is the one in whom the community trusts, not men or chariots. The second psalm takes this theme of the power being with God and the King’s dependence on God in all things.

Nehemiah 13: 15 – 31

Nehemiah prays that God will remember him for his good deeds including his insistence that the Sabbath not be compromised even if that meant closing the city gates at dark and not opening them until the day is over and his fierce advocacy against mixed marriages since the women and their children will bring in their own gods.

Matthew 22: 15 – 33

Pharisees and Herodians try to trick Jesus by asking is it lawful to pay tax to the Roman Emperor. Jesus calls them hypocrites and asks for a coin. Jesus asks whose head is on the coin and whose title – Jewish coins were minted with no images on them. It is the Emperor’s head. Jesus says give to the Emperor what is his and to God what is God’s. They are amazed.

Sadducees come to Jesus saying there is no resurrection. Using a law about brothers being required to marry the widow of another brother, they construct a scenario where this happens seven times. They want to know who is the true husband in the resurrection. Jesus tells them they are wrong in their understanding of the resurrection – no one marries or is married, instead all are like angels. Further, he quotes scripture where God says, “I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob” they are and God is. God is the God of the living not the dead. The hearers are astounded.

Collect for Morning Prayer

Kangaroo at dawn
Armadale WA 2014 L Osburn

Almighty God you are the God of the living, all creation is yours and all power is with you. Help us we pray to keep our concerns to the here and now. To be faithful and steadfast in this moment and to bring our doubts and concerns to you so that we too are amazed and astounded by the way your love works in our lives through Jesus Christ Your Son our Lord and Your Holy Spirit in our hearts. Amen.

Saturday 8 November 2014

Evening Prayer

Psalms 24 and 26

The Lord of hosts is the King of glory, is the focus of this psalm. The world and everything in it is God’s. Those who aspire to heaven are the pure and righteous.

The second psalm is from a person who is faithful and has integrity and who has been falsely accused. The psalm asks God to look inside and to bring redemption.

Daniel 12

Daniel hears from the angel further tribulations and trials to come and the resurrection but not of everyone: some will go to everlasting life and some to everlasting contempt. The timing is unclear. Daniel is to keep quiet about this vision and Daniel is reassured that he will rise for his reward at the end of days.

Revelation 2: 18 – 29

John is to write to the church in Thyatira (home of Lydia the dealer in purple cloth). The people are praised for their faith, service and patient endurance. However there is a woman who is a false prophet and has swayed some to idolatry. She and her followers will not survive. But those who are faithful are to have no more burdens placed on them. Instead at the end they will have authority, will be with Christ the morning star.

Collect for Evening Prayer

Gum blossoms at dawn
Armadale WA 2014 L Osburn

Holy and almighty God you are the king of glory and Jesus is the morning star, the one we look to as we wait for your new dawn. Be with us all in times of difficulties and trails. Help us to be faithful, patient and enduring in our service to you, and to avoid any type of idolatry so that when you look within us we will know your reassuring love, your joy and your peace through Jesus Christ our Lord and Saviour. Amen.