4 June 2015

Collects

Prayers developed from the daily readings 

Thursday 4 June 2015 

Morning Prayer   

Psalm 80

This psalm is a prayer for deliverance from national enemies. It compares Israel to a vine. It asks for God’s hand to be on the one at God’s right hand, to give us life, to restore us and to save us.

1 Samuel 2: 27 – 36

Eli the priest is visited by a man of God who condemns him, his sons and his descendants because of the contempt they show for God. None of his family will live to old age. His sons will die on the same day and his descendants will be poor.

Acts 5: 12 – 26

The apostles go to Solomon’s portico in the temple to teach and heal the sick and afflicted. People come, believe and are healed even by Peter’s shadow. The high priest and the Sadducees arrest them all and imprison them. But in the night an angel of the Lord releases them and at daybreak they return to the temple and teach.

Meanwhile the high priest sends to the prison for the apostles only to find they are gone, the guards are there and the doors still locked. The captain goes with the temple police to bring the apostles before the high priest respectfully. They are afraid of being stoned by the people.

Collect for Morning Prayer

Kookaburra pair protecting the nest
Lake Mulwala NSW 2015 L Osburn

 Holy and loving Lord you listen to our prayers, intervene and change the course of things so that the opposite of our expected outcomes occurs. Be with all of us today who are in dispute, challenge or contempt-filled circumstances. Keep us calm, obedient and prayerful so that our lives and actions can reveal your restoring and saving grace for all, through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord. Amen.

Thursday 4 June April 2015

Evening Prayer

Psalm 81

The psalm begins with praise and thanksgiving. It moves on to remembering the gifts of God and how God saved and delivered the people. Finally there is a lament that the people’s hearts are hard, that they are not listening and until they do they will be besieged. God wants to feed us with fine things. The choice is left open.

Proverbs 3: 1 - 18

Keep the commandments for they will add to your welfare. Be faithful and loyal to God. Trust in God: don’t rely on your own insight. In all things acknowledge God.

Honour the Lord with your whole being and the first fruits of your work.

Take correction from the Lord: God cares and will give you corrective feedback. Seek wisdom for there are real riches and honour and happiness to be gained.

2 Corinthians 1: 12 – 22

Paul encourages the Corinthians by saying that his successes and God’s rescues of him are something the Corinthians can boast about since their prayers assisted. Similarly their successes, Paul can boast about – since they all are really boasting about God.

Paul responds to criticism about going to Corinth and Macedonia and back to Corinth rather than staying and committing to one place. He had a plan: to spend time in both places and collect their contributions for the church in Jerusalem. There was no vacillation. He was seeing both. It was “Yes, Yes” – just as God says to us. God loves us all not one or the other of us. Paul, like Corinth is part of the whole bound together by the Holy Spirit.

Collect for Evening Prayer

Gum Blossom and Bee
Milo Vic 2015 L Osburn

Generous and loving God you want us to have great things, to feed us, to give us real riches and honour and welfare and happiness and to do so linked in love together by your Holy Spirit. We pray for those who hearts are hard and blocked to your message may they soften, listen and be willing to learn. May those whose hearts are open be encouraged to remember your great gifts, to trust you and to acknowledge you are the God who loves everyone so that when great things happen, when lives are healed we can give glory and honour and praise to you through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord and Saviour. Amen.

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