27 April 2015

Collects

Prayers developed from the daily readings 

Monday 27 April 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.

Exodus 24

Moses and Aaron and 70 elders approach the mountain. Moses directs a sacrifice and reads the covenant between God and the Israelites and seals it ceremonially. Then he and the small group go up. Moses with Joshua go further up to receive the tablets of stone. The elders return to the people.

John 11: 1 – 16

Jesus is safely away from Jerusalem when he hears that Lazarus is sick and Mary and Martha want him to come and to heal Lazarus. Jesus delays, knowing that Lazarus’s illness will lead to glorifying God. After two days he decides to go and the disciples try to talk him out of it for his safety. He replies that God decides when he will die. He explains that Lazarus is dead. Thomas says, let’s go and if we die, we die with Jesus.

Collect for Morning Prayer

Early Morning
Armadale WA 2014 L Osburn

Holy Lord you guide our lives, direct our paths and keep us safe. Help us to put our lives and concerns into your care and to know that all things can lead to your glory so that we act with calm and courage all our days through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Monday 27 April 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 psalmist’s pleas for deliverance demonstrate faithfulness.

Joshua 10: 40 – 43, 11: 10 – 23

The story continues of Joshua’s conquest of the entire country.

1 Corinthians 3: 18 – 4: 5

Paul warns against thinking we are wise and being proud of our abilities because what is wise to humans is foolish with God and can cause divisions in the community. God does not belong to any leader but everything belongs to God. Instead Paul suggests we think of ourselves as servants and stewards of God’s mysteries, so we need to be trustworthy. Who judges whether we are? Only God. We are often not aware of our own deep motivations and certainly we cannot assess that in others.

Collect for Evening Prayer

Place to reflect
Armadale WA 2014 L Osburn

Holy Lord, yours is the wisdom and the right action. Only you know the hearts of people. Help us to reflect on our day, to see the times were we put our pride aside, served others and were trustworthy so that we, bringing our lives openly to you may be refreshed and strengthened in the days to come through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

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