30 July 2015

Collects

Prayers developed from the daily readings 

Thursday 30 July 2015 

Morning Prayer   

Psalm 72

This psalm asks that the King be blessed. Justice, righteousness, prosperity for the people and production, defence of the poor and deliverance for the needy and oppressed, are requested. May the king live long and be gentle. Peace, dominion, abundance, compassion are all in this appeal. The psalm ends praising and Blessing God who makes all thing possible.

2 Samuel 12: 15b – 31

David and Bathsheba’s son becomes ill. David fasts and prays. After seven days the child dies and David’s servants are too scared to tell him given the level of his grief already. David asks them, “Is the child dead?” David washes, anoints himself, changes his clothes, worships, goes to him home and eats. When the courtiers ask what is it that he is doing David replies that he fasted and prayed that God might be gracious but now there is nothing to be done.

David goes and consoles Bathsheba. Later she conceives and has Solomon. God loves Solomon and tells Nathan to name him Jedidiah: Beloved of the Lord.

Joab sends a message that he has taken the water city of the Ammonites and is about to take Rabbah. He requests that David comes so that the final victory is counted as David’s and not Joab’s. David goes to Rabbah, fights and secures the crown. He puts the Ammonites to work and returns to Jerusalem.

John 9: 18 – 38

The Pharisees call the parents of the man whose sight Jesus restored. They verify the man had been born blind. The parents will not be tricked into saying Jesus is the Messiah since if they do they will be excluded from the synagogue. Instead they indicate their son is an adult, he is competent to answer questions and he was there when Jesus healed him; ask him.

The Pharisees interrogate the man again. They accuse him of being a disciple and say that they don’t know where Jesus comes from. The man tells them this is a puzzle since we know God does not listen to sinners only those who worship and obey. He tells them that never has a blind person been restored to sight, it follows that if Jesus were not from God he could do nothing. The Pharisees reject the message and the man and drive him out of the synagogue.

Jesus hears and seeks out the man who believes and worships Jesus.

Collect for Morning Prayer

The glorious tapestry
Holy Trinity Cathedral
Wangaratta Vic 2015 L Osburn

Holy Lord, you are our everlasting King. Peace compassion and abundance are yours. Open our eyes so that we too can see your glory and the truth of your Son our Messiah who washes away our sins, anoints us, brings us back home, eats with us and takes us on the path to glory and rejoicing through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord. Amen.

Thursday 30 July 2015

Evening Prayer

Psalm 73

The psalmist begins saying how good God is and then confesses that he is about to lose his belief because of envy of the success, prosperity and apparent freedom from care the wicked possess. It bothers him daily and he is tempted to talk about it but decides it would lead others astray. So he goes into the sanctuary and prays. Through prayer he understands that what appears to be success and freedom is temporary – like a dream. The psalmist recognises his own failings and reaffirms the value of being with God, being guided by God and being valued by God. Even if flesh fails, God is our strength, our refuge and we can, with that support tell of all God’s works.

Proverbs 10: 17 – 32

In this section the experiences of the wise, righteous and prudent are listed against the experiences of the fools, the wicked and the unrestrained. One grows and will have a good quality of life. The other may temporarily flourish but ultimately withers without hope.

Romans 5: 12 – 21

Paul explains that through Adam sin entered the world and all are covered by it. The Law just made the sins more clear: identifiable, countable. Thus sin multiplied. But Christ’s death and resurrection brings us justification for all through grace. Grace abounds that we may have eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Collect for Evening Prayer

Screen printed banner
Holy Trinity Cathedral
Wangaratta Vic
2015 L Osburn

Oh Lord how good you are! You love us. You are our strength and our refuge. Our hearts want to sing out your marvellous works. We praise and thank you that through your grace by Christ’s death and resurrection you have given us a fresh start to build lives of wisdom, righteousness and love to your glory and honour through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord and Saviour. Amen.

Please leave a comment or feedback.