1 April 2015

Collects

Prayers developed from the daily readings 

Wednesday 1 April 2015

Morning Prayer

Psalm 88

This is a prayer of a faithful person who has been seriously ill since childhood and now believes they are close to death. The prayer asks God to listen. The psalmist is bold with God. “Is your steadfast love declared in the grave…?” (v.11). The only sense of hope in this psalm is in God’s response.

Jeremiah 11: 18 – 20

This is a lament from Jeremiah who is the target of an assassination attempt. He was led by the Lord to denounce evil deeds of others and like a “lamb led to the slaughter” (v.19), found that his life was now the target. Jeremiah commits his cause to God.

John 16: 4b – 33

Jesus tells the disciples that when the Spirit comes it will be a spirit of truth and that they are to testify about Jesus because they have been with him. It is, Jesus says, in our favour that he goes because unless he goes the Advocate, the Holy Spirit cannot come. The Holy Spirit will teach us that the world is wrong about sin, righteousness and judgement. Belief in Jesus corrects our understanding of sin. Jesus’s death, resurrection and ascension correct our understanding of righteousness and Jesus’s victory over death and sin corrects our understanding of judgement.

Jesus tells the disciples that the Spirit of truth will come and guide them. The Spirit will glorify Jesus and declare Jesus and God’s understanding. He tells them too that he will go away and not be seen, then be seen again. The disciples are puzzled so he explains. When Jesus goes the disciples will weep and the world will rejoice. But when he returns the joy will overcome the grief (just like when a baby arrives the mother forgets the pain of delivery). If the disciples ask anything of Jesus it will be given. “Ask and you shall receive so your joy may be complete” (v.24).

Jesus tells the disciples that he uses figures of speech to help them understand what he means. Jesus will teach them more clearly in days to come not through speech. Then they will ask God for things in Jesus’s name because God loves them and they believe in Jesus. Jesus is going to the Father.

Collect for Morning Prayer

The Old Pier
Eucla WA 2014 L Osburn

Holy and almighty God, in Christ your steadfast love is revealed. It is love for the cosmos. Through you creator, son who came to earth and advocate who guides us we have hope, a future and a promise. Be with us this week as we walk through the grief so that when we come to the joy of Easter morning our joy may be complete and our souls riveted to you forever in love and thanks through Jesus Christ Your Son our Lord. Amen.

Wednesday 1 April 2015

Evening Prayer

Psalm 31

“Into you hand I commit my spirit” (v.5). This is a great prayer of thankfulness and faith. The psalmist calls for help and suggests to God about what might be done with wicked and insolent people. Primarily the psalmist is dedicating all of himself to God, reaffirming faith and trust in God and in praise and thankfulness acknowledging God’s goodness. The psalm ends entreating all to love God, to be faithful, to be strong and to be of good courage as we wait for the Lord.

Isaiah 63: 1 – 9

The chapter begins with an ancient poem depicting God as a divine warrior avenging his enemies and the enemies of his people: no earthly warrior, no prophet. He is alone. There is no human agent in this poem. God’s is the victory alone. He redeems his people he lifts them up in his love.

1 Corinthians 1: 18 – 31

The power of the cross is that the people who believe will be saved. It will appear crazy to the rich, learned and powerful who experience positions of honour from their own skills or resources. The main cultural groups will not believe someone unless there are verifiable signs in the case of the Jews or irrefutable argument as in the case of the Greeks. Christ is the source of grace and salvation. Our only boast can be that Christ died for us and for our salvation.

Collect for Evening Prayer

Ruins
Silverton NSW 2015 L Osburn

Holy and mighty Lord, you alone can redeem us and lift us up in your love. Help us all in this Holy week to rededicate ourselves to you so that we may experience your saving grace and be enthused to tell others about how you conquered death and sin for all time through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

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