27 February 2015

Collects

Prayers developed from the daily readings 

Friday 27 February 2015

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.

Genesis 42: 1 – 17

Jacob learns that Egypt has surplus grain. He sends his remaining sons except Benjamin, to Egypt. The have an audience with Joseph who they do not recognise and bow before him. He deals with them harshly accusing them of spying. He demands they return and bring Benjamin as proof of their integrity.

Luke 12: 22 – 34

Jesus teaches about focusing on our relationship with God and not focusing on stuff, possessions or the future, what will we wear or what will we eat. He teaches generosity and gathering our spiritual wealth in purses that will never wear out, since “where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (v.34).

Collect for Morning Prayer

The Approaching Storm
Mulwala NSW 2015
L Osburn

Lord of all creation, you know the difficulties of human life the enmities and struggles. Help us to put you first, to make sure we are in right relationship with you. Help us discern the difference between enemies and friends who are dealing with us harshly for a good purpose. Help us also to be diligent, generous and calm serving as if we are serving you so that our enemies have fewer objections and our friends see us grow through Jesus Christ Your Son our Lord. Amen.

Friday 27 February 2015

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.

Jeremiah 27: 12 – 28: 4

Jeremiah has a yoke made and put on his back and neck. He prophesies that all will be under the rule of Nebuchadrezzar and unless they serve him they will perish. All the valuables left in the holy places will go to Babylon. Another prophet Hananiah prophesies the opposite, that all will be restored and returned to two years.

Hebrews 6: 9 – 18

There are two unchangeable things on which we can anchor our hope: God’s promise and God’s oath.

Collect for Evening Prayer

Great Australian Bight
SA 2014 L Osburn

O God your promise and your oath are reliable and unchangeable. Help us understand how to correct, how to be gentle, how deliverance through faithfulness works so that by your being in our lives we can be your hands and arms throughout the earth and respond to the difficulties humans encounter confident in your promise and your oath through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

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