26 December 2014
Collects
Prayers
developed from the daily readings
Friday 26 December
2014
Morning
Prayer
Psalms 137: 1 – 6 (7 –9); 138
The song of the exiles... “By the river of Babylon”.
The psalmist feels the pain and anguish of the destruction of Jerusalem and
worries about forgetting yet finding it impossible to sing.
The second psalm is a song of praise and deliverance
and ends with the psalmist faithfully claiming, “the Lord will fulfil his
purpose for me”.
Isaiah 29: 1 - 12
Jerusalem will be brought low, besieged, humbled. But
those that attack her will be, in comparison, specks of dust. The enemies will
perceive that they have won: they will be dreaming. It will be as if they are
blind and incapable; they will stagger, be stunned and amazed. For God’s
enemies will not be able to get access to the meaning of Isaiah’s vision.
Acts 6: 1 – 7 and 7: 1 – 47
Early on in the church the number of disciples
increases. Poor organisation for food distribution to widows leads to the
appointment of 7 people who the apostles pray over and lay hands on. Stephen is
one of these.
Stephen is full of the Spirit in ministry and the
word. He is accused of blasphemy against Moses and God. In answering the
charges. He recites the story of God’s relationship and interactions with the
people from Abraham to Solomon’s building of the first temple.
Collect for
Morning Prayer
Same plant: different flowers Mulwala NSW 2014 L Osburn |
Friday 26 December
2014
Evening
Prayer
Psalm 139
The psalmist loves, reveres and understands the
majesty and ever-presence of God. He wants to distance himself from anyone and
anything that is opposed to God – to actively step away. He appeals to God to
examine him, test him and lead him in the right way.
Isaiah 60: 1 – 11
Isaiah prophesies the rebuilding and restoration of
Jerusalem including the use of foreign resources and labour –believers from
other nations. Jerusalem’s gates will be forever open and kings will visit.
Titus 1
Paul
writes to Titus who is on the island of Crete. He instructs him on the
characteristics he is to use to identify elders and to appoint them.
Titus is
to silence people who rebel, whose actions are deceitful and stop them from
spreading false things or seeking dishonest gain. Titus is to rebuke them so
that their faith will be sound – not full of old myths.
To the
pure all things are pure.
But for
those who are corrupt, they unable to see the pure and their actions deny God
and reveal their corruption. They are not able to do good things.
Collect for
Evening Prayer
Profusion of leaves forming a canopy Harrietville Vic 2014 L Osburn |
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