21 April 2015

Collects

Prayers developed from the daily readings 

Tuesday 21 April 2015

Morning Prayer

Psalms 121, 122 and 123

In these three psalms the themes are the eternal faithfulness of God and how God cares for us; the joy and gladness we experience as we enter the house of the Lord with a prayer for safety and peace in Jerusalem, and finally, a prayer for deliverance from those who ridicule and oppress us.

Exodus 19: 16 – 20: 17

God comes to Sinai as a great cloud and thunderstorm. Moses is on the mountain and no one is to come near. God instructs Moses to bring Aaron on to the mountain. God tells Moses the Ten Commandments.

John 9: 13 – 23

The Pharisees call the man who had previously been blind before them to find out whether he had really been healed. They interview the man’s parents. They asked how the healing occurred. The people know if they proclaim Jesus as Messiah they will be put out of the synagogue. They deflect the questioners – ask our son, he is of age.

Collect for Morning Prayer

Indian Ocean wave
Mandurah WA 2014 L Osburn

 Overwhelming generous and gracious God, you care for us, lift us up when we worship you, give us safety and peace from illness and disability and from each other with rules for life and community. May we too choose the generous and loving path, give comfort and peace, freedom and liberation to each other in a myriad of tiny ways and kindnesses that grow into a great flood of your love throughout the earth through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Tuesday 21 April 2015

Evening Prayer

Psalm 119: 129 – 152

The psalmist declares a passion for the scripture and the commandments.  There is a request to learn and know them better. There too is recognition that others do not share this zeal and that leads to persecution. The psalmist pleads to be saved from harm.

Joshua 7: 13 – 8: 2

God tells Joshua to get the people to sanctify themselves. All the tribes are to come before God who will select the relevant tribe and clan. This repeats until the family and individual who took the devoted things is identified. Achor and his family are taken into custody. Their tent is searched. The devoted things are found where Achor says they are. He, and his family are stoned. The devoted things are burned.

God tells Joshua not to be dismayed but to attack Ai once more. This time they will conquer the town by attacking in the same way and also setting an ambush behind the city.

1 Corinthians 1: 10 – 19

Paul calls for unity in the community – he has been told that there are divisions over who was baptised by whom. Paul is glad he can be impartial. He says that Christ did not send him to baptise but to proclaim the Gospel, and not with the skills of a convincing orator. Because when we think about it, the message about the cross is useless to those who are lost, but to those who are saved it restores us through the power of God.

Collect for Evening Prayer

A giant Karri tree - just a tree
Nannup WA 2014
L Osburn

Holy and Almighty Lord we have the scriptures and great sagas from of old to teach us your commandments, obedience and trust. You have given us apostles and preachers who remind us to keep our focus on the things that matter – on the power of the cross. Open our hearts to your lessons of love so that we proclaim the gospel to your glory every day – sometimes with words – through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

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