24 March 2015

Collects

Prayers developed from the daily readings 

Tuesday 24 March 2015

Morning Prayer

Psalms 56 and 57

The first psalm speaks of trust in God who is our salvation and who is with us when we fear the actions of other people. It ends in praise and commitment to faith.

The second psalm again is an appeal for aid against enemies who are compared to lions. The psalm shifts to praise. The psalmist wakes each morning to sing God’s praise, to uplift the soul and to ask God to be exalted in the world: to let God’s glory shine.

Exodus 7: 25 – 8: 19

Seven days after the waters were turned to blood, the second plague of frogs appears. Pharaoh’s magicians can do that too. The Pharaoh asks Moses to pray to the Lord to take the frogs away and that he would allow the Israelites to make their sacrifice to God. Moses does so, the frogs die but Pharaoh changes his mind. The third plague of gnats arrives and the magicians are not able to copy that. They admit, “This is the finger of God” (v.19). Pharaoh’s heart is still hardened.

Luke 20: 19 – 26

The chief priests and scribes set spies to watch Jesus. They pretend to be honest then ask should taxes be paid to Caesar. Jesus asks to see a denarius (a coin). He takes the coin and asks whose portrait and whose inscription is on the coin? Jesus says, “Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s and to God what is God’s.”

Collect for Morning Prayer

Just joy
Mandurah Estuary WA 2015 L Osburn

 O God of our salvation, you know how hard human hearts can be. Give us courage to bring to you our fears, worries and experience of oppression. Help us see your finger operating in our lives so that we may give ourselves to you, sing your praises, exalt you and walk ahead with our souls uplifted through Jesus Christ Your Son our Lord. Amen.

Tuesday 24 March 2015

Evening Prayer

Psalms 60 and 61

The disaster has struck. The people of the country are suffering. God has set up a banner for the faithful to rally behind. This psalm is an appeal to God to be with us in the challenge ahead. The psalm ends with “With God we shall do valiantly” (v12).

The second psalm is a prayer for protection. God is describes as a rock, a shelter, a hiding place and a great bird under whose wings we are protected.

Jeremiah 40: 13 – 41: 10

Ishmael, from the royal family, plots to assassinate Gedaliah, the governor. Johnanan warns Gedaliah but he does not believe the warning. When Ishmael arrives Gedaliah welcomes him and is killed. Ishmael traps and murders others saving only those who buy their lives with stores of food. He takes the people of Mizpah captive and starts his return to the Ammonites.

Philippians 3: 7 –16

Paul here says that the things he most valued and prized are, when compared to the value of knowing Christ now, rubbish. He is saying everything good in his life pales into insignificance; it does not mean that it was not good, or right. It isn’t a case of him being good and therefore earning closeness to God. It is because of faith he seeks closeness to Christ, because Christ has made Paul his own.  Paul then says, this doesn’t mean he stops. With Christ’s aid he strains forward, like a runner straining for the finishing line, waiting for Christ’s call.

Collect for Evening Prayer

Coming home through the lifting storm
Berrigan-Mulwala Road NSW 2015
L Osburn

Holy God our protector, our hiding place our solace, you have set up your banner of love and you have given us Christ your Son so that we may fear no more. Strengthen our legs, arms and hearts that we like Paul, may keep on running to you, seeking you, listening for your call and praising you each time we feel your closeness in our lives through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

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