27 May 2015

Collects

Prayers developed from the daily readings 

Wednesday 27 May 2015 

Morning Prayer   

Psalm 68: 1 – 20

A psalm of praise to a practical God, our God. We are provided with the practical necessities homes, care for orphans and widows, water, food, crops, protection, peace and God’s presence - relationship. 

Ruth 1

Naomi with her husband and two sons go from a famine Bethlehem to Moab. They establish themselves. Her husband dies. The sons marry and both die. Ruth hears that conditions have improved in Bethlehem and decides to return. On the journey she instructs her daughters-in-law to go to their parents’ homes. Orpah goes and Ruth refuses.

Ruth commits to stay with Naomi, to believe in God and to be one of Ruth’s people. On return to Bethlehem Naomi changes her name to Mara in response to her bitter losses.

Acts 2: 22 – 36

Peter continues to explain to the crowd at Pentecost that King David prophesied about the Messiah: that he would not be corrupted by death and that he would sit at God’s right hand as David’s Lord.

Peter reinforces that this Jesus who was crucified is clearly Messiah and Lord.

Collect for Morning Prayer

Liquified Natural Gas Loader
Curtis Island Gladstone Qld
2015 L Osburn

 Holy generous and gracious Lord you give us the means for our lives as you have done across the ages. We thank you and praise you. You know our practical realities, real enemies, real loneliness, being far from help and death and you allow us a choice to come with you or turn away. Be with us today in the choices we make. Support us in our lives, families and ministries and at the end bring us safely home to you always praising you and glorifying your name through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord and the power of your Holy Spirit in our hearts. Amen.

Wednesday 27 May April 2015

Evening Prayer

Psalm 68: (21 – 23) 24 – 35

This section of the psalm moves first to the fierce protection God provides for his people and then to a procession and celebration of God and the people of Israel, united in Jerusalem at the temple.

Judges 16: 18 - 31

Delilah realises Samson has told her the whole truth about his strength. The Lords of the Philistines pay her a huge amount. While Samson sleeps she has a man cut his hair. She wakes him and he thinks as in the past, that he will shake off the bonds. However, God’s strength has left him. They gouge out his eyes, imprison him and make him grind at the mill. His hair begins to grow back.

At a festival for one of their gods the Philistines bring out Samson for entertainment. Samson asks to be placed between the two support pillars of the building. He prays for one last feat of strength and is willing to die. He brings down the entire building killing more in his death than he had in life. His family retrieve his body and bury him in his father’s tomb.

1 Corinthians 15: 12- 34

Paul puts to the Corinthians the argument in support of the existence of resurrection of the dead. First he says if we don’t believe it then we cannot believe Christ was resurrected and all our testimony and faith is futile. But Christ has been resurrected and has overcome death. He is Lord of all and is subject to and in God, so God is all in all.

This gives us the confidence to be Christians and in sober and right minds, sin no more.

Collect for Evening Prayer

Mulwala Irrigation Canal
Lake Mulwala Vic 2015 L Osburn

Holy and wonderful Lord you answer prayer, provide for us and even use our own inadequacies and failings to bring you the victory. When things worry us, remind us to bring them to you knowing that our own strength will make matters worse and that only your power can bring unity, victory and hope so that we are confident to put all our lives in your hands, claim your strength, your love and share in your glory through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord and Saviour. Amen.

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