29 May 2015
Collects
Prayers
developed from the daily readings
Friday 29
May 2015
Morning
Prayer
Psalm 69: 1 – 16
This psalmist is a lowly servant of the Lord and
through zeal has done something that causes him to be the butt of jokes and
ridicule. The psalmist is fasting and in sackcloth. He pleads for deliverance
and praises God.
Ruth 3
Naomi, Ruth’s mother-in-law needs to ensure Ruth’s
security. As a widow, a kinsman should become her husband and care for her.
Naomi instructs Ruth to go to the threshing floor where Boaz will be working,
eating and sleeping. She instructs Ruth to wait until he is asleep then sleeps
with him. When he wakes, Ruth tells him that she believes him to be the nearest
kinsman. Boaz recognises that she is an honourable woman and following the
traditions, not running after younger or richer men. Boaz thinks that there
might be someone else who is a nearer kinsman. Before dawn, Ruth leaves thus
protecting Boaz and her own reputation.
Ruth returns to Naomi with grain Boaz has given her.
Boaz goes to the city. Naomi reassures Ruth that Boaz will sort things out for
her immediately.
Acts 3: 1 – 16
Peter and John go to the temple. At the gate called
Beautiful is a lame beggar who asks for alms. Peter utters the famous words:
‘Silver and gold have I none, but such as I have I give you. In the name of
Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk” (v. 6).
The people in the temple hear about the miracle and
flock. Peter tells them they did not do this on their own – from their own
piety but through the name of Christ. God, the God of Abraham glorified Jesus
who you crucified. “You killed the Holy One, the Author of Life who God raised
from the dead” (v.15). By faith, through using Jesus’s name this man’s health
is restored.
Collect for
Morning Prayer
Water for the irrigated farms downstream Lake Mulwala NSW 2015 L Osburn |
God of grace you want
us to be safe, healed, and free to praise you. Be with us today in the
decisions we make – in our day-to-day lives where we are your ministers. Help
us to step out, to act and to be generous in courage knowing that it is you
working in our lives to heal, provide and restore so that our lives bring
praise to you now and forever through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord and the power of your Holy Spirit
in our hearts. Amen.
Friday 29 May
April 2015
Evening
Prayer
Psalm 69: 17 – 23 (24 – 30) 31 – 38
The psalmist praises the Lord and is suffering from
insults and dishonour. When he goes for counsel and support the response is
bitter, and heart-breaking – no real compassion. The psalmist is very angry, he
wants God’s wrath to destroy and punish, but he leaves that anger with and for
God. The psalmist praises God, who unlike a God in the form of a bull, will
listen. The psalmist ends in praise and a plea to God to come quickly.
Judges 18: 7 - 31
The five Danite spies continue their journey and find
people with wealth in peace relatively unprotected. They report and raise a
force of 600 men. They return to Micah’s home, leave the army at the gate,
enter and take the idol and items of worship. When the priest protests they
offer him to be priest to a whole clan not just one family. He accepts and goes
with them.
Micah raises the alarm and follows with defenders. He
questions the Danites who tell him to hold his peace for fear of being
overheard by hot-tempered men in the group. Micah retreats.
The 600 men proceed and take the peaceful valley, burn
down the city and kill everyone. They set up the idol and the priest for
themselves.
1 Corinthians 15: 51 – 58
Paul says, we will not all die; we will be
transformed. We will put on an imperishable body. Sin is the thing that gives
death any power and the law lets us know our sins – so we feel guilt, that
sting of death. But Jesus gives us the victory over death so we can be
steadfast in our faith and continue the work of the Lord since it is not in
vain.
Collect for
Evening Prayer
Moon over the lake Lake Mulwala NSW 2015 L Osburn |
Holy and all-powerful
God you have already won the victory over death for us through Jesus our
saviour. We experience heart-break, fear and oppression in our world. Be with
us Lord this night. Remind us that you in Christ, have already transformed
death so that we may continue our work of spreading your love, your truth and
your grace confident that what we do is not in vain through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord and Saviour.
Amen.
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