Wednesday 14 January 2015

15 January 2015

Collects

Prayers developed from the daily readings 

Thursday 15 January 2015
Morning Prayer

Psalm 37: 1 – 17

There are people who do evil and prosper. Their presence is a challenge to us to choose faith, to do good things, to stay calm, to not get angry or envious of their wealth. Stay with the Lord and be patient. It is their story and God’s job to deal with if they continue to reject God.

Genesis 3: 1 – 19

The serpent, through craftiness converses with the woman about God’s instructions on eating. The woman says that eating the fruit of the tree in the middle of the garden will bring death. The serpent challenges her thinking – surely God wouldn’t cause you to die – but instead your eyes will be open, you will get wisdom, you will be like God. She looks, eats the fruit, and gives it to the man who eats then both become aware of their separateness and nakedness and hide from God. When God confronts them they blame each other. The punishment is that the serpent will become an enemy and either be crushed or will injure and demobilise the children of the woman. Childbearing becomes hard and unlike in the perfect garden the man will rule the woman. The man will also struggle, sweat and toil and at the end return to dust.

John 7: 1 – 13

Jesus stays away from Judea due to the threats on his life. His brothers however, encourage him to go to the feast of the Tabernacles so that others can see what he can do and as he is a public figure he can’t continue to go about in secret. Jesus says this is not his time to enter Judea publicly. The brothers go. Later, Jesus follows in secret and he hears what the people are whispering about him – too afraid of those in power to speak aloud.

Collect for Morning Prayer

Cannon - King Georges Sound
Albany WA 2014 L Osburn
 Loving God, you know the world is full of challenge and threat help us to be patient. Help us to bring our concerns to you. Help us listen for you and not be led by the voice of our ego or pride or zeal but to be guided by you so that we do your will in your grace and in your time to your glory through Jesus Christ Your Son our Lord. Amen.





Thursday 15 January 2015
Evening Prayer

Psalm 37: 18 – 41

This portion of the psalm continues with examples of God’s retribution for the wicked and protection and salvation for the faithful and the meek.

Jeremiah 3: (1 – 5) 6 – 23

In this section Israel and Judah’s unfaithfulness by chasing idols and other gods is compared to an unfaithful divorced woman who has had other husbands and now her original husband would take her back. Jeremiah uses this to help the people understand the situation. The people are encouraged to repent and to return the God. The correct people’s reply is to admit their sin and waste of sacrifices: to admit their disgrace.

Colossians 2: 1 – 7

Paul wants us to be encouraged and united in love, to have assured understanding and the knowledge of God’s mystery: Christ. As we have received Christ we are to continue to live our lives, rooted, established and grounded in Christ and to give thanks.

Collect for Evening Prayer

Getting back on track
Albany WA 2014 L Osburn
Merciful and loving God, you want our lives to be grounded in Christ and full of thanks and praise. Help us see the times today where we noticed we were off track and came back to you. Help us rejoice in those precious moments of reconciliation so that we keep accepting your invitation and keep returning sooner and sooner through Jesus Christ our Lord and Saviour. Amen.

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