27 December 2014
Collects
Prayers
developed from the daily readings
Saturday 27
December 2014
Morning
Prayer
Psalm
140
This
psalm is an appeal to be delivered from personal enemies – from violent people
and those who stir things up, those who speak ill, are arrogant and make evil
plots. The psalmist is confident in God’s care.
Isaiah 29: 13 - 24
The Lord says to Isaiah that the people honour God
with their lips but their hearts are not attached. They are performing the
rituals, obeying the laws constructed by men but their hearts are far from God.
Some think God cannot see their hidden plans. It is as
if the clay says to the potter, “What does the potter know about me?”
In a time to come Lebanon will be a fertile field, the
mockers and ruthless will disappear and those who do evil will be cut down.
Therefore God says to the house of Jacob, there will be a time when they are
glad to see God’s work in their children, they will acknowledge God, those who
are wayward will gain understanding and the complainers will accept
instruction.
John 1: 1 – 18
John begins by placing The Word as the beginning of
creation and God. Through The Word everything seen and unseen (like hope or
authority) was created. In The Word and God is life, and life itself is the
light that shines through darkness.
John the Baptist is introduced as preparing people for
the light to come into the world. John the Baptist was not the light.
The light was already in the world and not being
recognised. Those who believed in the light were given the right to be children
of God: born of God (not like regular birth).
Thus the Word became human, lived with us and John
testifies to seeing his glory calling him the One and Only. John says, we have
received grace and truth through Christ just as we received the Law through
Moses. No one has every seen God but the One and Only is at God’s side and has
made God known.
Collect for
Morning Prayer
Just before dawn Lake Mulwala NSW 2014 L Osburn |
Saturday 27
December 2014
Evening
Prayer
Psalms
141 and 142
Both
psalms are pleas to be delivered from personal enemies. The first includes a
willingness to be justly corrected by the righteous. The psalmist asks to be
assisted to not engage in retaliation of the evil so that the enemies realise
the psalmist is not only correct but also gentle.
In
the second psalm things are not going well for the psalmist and the pleas for
deliverance demonstrate faithfulness.
Isaiah 60: 12 – 22
In the New Jerusalem, the nations and kingdoms of the
world will join together to be part of the rebuilding. Jerusalem will be an
everlasting pride. Peace will govern and righteousness will rule. There will be
no violence or destruction and the gates of the city will be called Salvation
and Praise. God will provide perpetual light and glory. Sorrow will end and
each person will become a thousand to form a mighty nation. The Lord will do
this in its time, swiftly.
Titus 2
Paul gives Titus instruction about teaching sound
doctrine and behaviour. Older men are to be temperate, worthy of respect,
self-controlled, sound in faith, love and endurance.
Older women are not to slander or be too fond of wine
but to teach what is good and so assist younger women to love their families,
have self-control, have busy lives, be kind and work with their husbands so
that God’s word is not brought to disrepute.
Assist young men to be self-controlled so those who
say bad things about Christians have no case.
Teach slaves to be fully trustworthy for their employer
so that Christ’s teaching is attractive to others
For the grace of God brings us to have self-control
while we wait for Christ. Titus is to lead in a way that is firm and does not
cause him to be despised.
Collect for
Evening Prayer
Sunset Armadale WA 2014 L Osburn |
Holy God
you have given us the scripture for guidance and encouragement. Help us to call
on you and use the power of your grace to keep ourselves temperate even when
things are wrong in our relationships, our plans, our world, our hopes and our
dreams so that peace and righteousness rule us. Help us to use praise and the
knowledge of your salvation to come to you in that place of everlasting pride
and love through Jesus Christ our Lord and Saviour. Amen.
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