30 January 2015

Collects

Prayers developed from the daily readings 

Friday 30 January 2015

Morning Prayer

Psalm 72

This psalm asks that the King be blessed. Justice, righteousness, prosperity for the people and production, defence of the poor and deliverance for the needy and oppressed, are requested. May the king live long and be gentle. Peace, dominion, abundance, compassion are all in this appeal. The psalm ends praising and Blessing God who makes all thing possible.

Genesis 17

Abram is 99 years old when God makes a covenant that his offspring will be numerous. God changes Abram’s name to Abraham and instructs Abraham to change Sarai’s name to Sarah. Abraham asks for blessing for Ishmael. He is blessed and will be the father of 12 tribes but Isaac, the son Sarah will have will be the one with whom God’s covenant is established. Abraham is instructed to circumcise all males as part of this covenant. Circumcision is to occur on the eighth day of life or when the male comes into the household as a servant or child of a servant. Abraham immediately begins the circumcision of himself and all males in his household including Ishmael who is 13.

Luke 1: 57 – 66

Elizabeth gives birth. At the circumcision Elizabeth says the child will be called John. Community members protest that no one in the family is called John. They defer to Zechariah who writes on a tablet, “His name is John”. Zechariah’s speech returns and he praises God. The neighbours are afraid to see these events and wonder what the child will become, “for indeed the hand of the Lord was with him” (v.66).

Collect for Morning Prayer

Crimson Rosellas
Harrietville Victoria 2015 L Osburn

Holy Lord of blessings, renewal and miracles you bring challenges and new awareness to your community of believers. Help us today to remember that you blessed Ishmael and Isaac and that justice, peace and freedom from oppression have always been part of your plan. Help us to use our voices for your praise so that we know being held in your hand is more precious than how numerous or prosperous we might be in this world through Jesus Christ Your Son our Lord and Your Holy Spirit in our hearts. Amen.

Friday 30 January 2015

Evening Prayer

Psalm 73

The psalmist begins saying how good God is and then confesses that he is about to lose his belief because of envy of the success, prosperity and apparent freedom from care the wicked possess. It bothers him daily and he is tempted to talk about it but decides it would lead others astray. So he goes into the sanctuary and prays. Through prayer he understands that what appears to be success and freedom is temporary – like a dream. The psalmist recognises his own failings and reaffirms the value of being with God, being guided by God and being valued by God. Even if flesh fails God is our strength, our refuge and we can, with that support tell of all God’s works.

Jeremiah 10: 17 – 11: 8

Jeremiah continues to let the people know that the siege is not going to be lifted and they will lose everything. The leaders of the community are not listening to God. Jeremiah asks to be corrected justly and asks for God’s punishment to also fall on nations that don’t believe. God reminds all of the covenant, of God’s fulfilment of god's side of the agreement  and how the people were warned, “Obey my voice”. Instead they walk in the stubbornness of an evil will.

James 4: 11 – 5: 6

Do not speak evil against each other for that is judging. It is speaking evil against the law and judging the law. Therefore you are not doing the law but breaking it. There is only one lawgiver and one judge able to save and to destroy. So who are we to judge our neighbour?

Instead of thinking, “Tomorrow I’ll got to someplace and start a new venture”, think instead, “If the Lord wishes we will….” Put everything you do before God first, for we are fragile and temporary in this world.

If you are rich and have defrauded people of their fair wages or rewards, be assured that God knows. It is as bad as being part of the crowd who had Jesus killed.

Collect for Evening Prayer

Looking into the Kiewa Valley
Victoria 2015 L Osburn

Wonderful generous God, you have given us more than we can measure. As we reflect on our day help us to notice when we deliberately modified our responses and followed your law to love you first and to love our neighbours. Help us see the times we pitched our ideas and ventures to you first and waited for your guidance so that we may in the days to come, see you more clearly, love you more dearly and follow you more nearly through Jesus Christ our Lord and Saviour. Amen.