1 September 2015

Collects

Prayers developed from the daily readings 

Tuesday 1 September 2015 

Morning Prayer   

Psalms 1 and 2

People who set themselves apart from all the turmoil of the world, who contemplate God, and God’s laws are like trees with good soil and water that bear fruit, don’t wither but prosper. The wicked are like chaff – an empty hull – they will not be with God at the end.

A rhetorical psalm asking why some people think they can break the bond between God and his anointed one (messiah). The psalmist thinks it is laughable. God is all-powerful and the anointed one is his begotten son. God’s power could be used to punish and correct. Let humans be warned to respect God. Those that take refuge in the Lord will be happy.

1 Kings 3: 1 – 15

Solomon takes to be his wife the daughter of the Pharaoh of Egypt. He brings her to Jerusalem. This is before his house, the temple or the walls are built. He worships at the high places including Gibeon.

He is at Gibeon when God appears to him in a dream and asks what gift Solomon would like. He humbly asks for wisdom. This pleases God who gives him not only great wisdom but also wealth and honour provided he keeps God’s statutes and commandments.

Solomon returns to Jerusalem and makes a sacrifice before the ark and gives all his servants a great feast.

Acts 23: 25 – 24: 9

The tribune writes a letter to the governor explaining all that has transpired and why he is sending Paul, a Roman citizen to him. The governor keeps Paul safe and Ananias high priest, some elders and Tertullus the lawyer come to explain their case against Paul. They accuse Paul of being a pest, a member of the Nazarene sect and profaning the temple. They ask the governor to examine Paul. Their whole group asserts that the accusations are true.

Collect for Morning Prayer

Jan and Graham's fig tree
Armadale WA L Osburn

Holy and gracious God you protect and support those who respect you, contemplate you and dedicate their lives to your service. Help us take tiny moments today before we act or make a decision to consider whether this in line with your statutes and commandments so that we may also be like trees with good soil and bear fruit for you all our days through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord and the power of your Holy Spirit in our hearts. Amen.

Tuesday 1 September 2015 

Evening Prayer

Psalms 3 and 4

People who say that faith in God is pointless surround the psalmist. Yet the psalmist prays and the prayers are answered; sleeps and is sustained by God. There is no fear and the psalmist leaves any reprisals to God.

The psalmist begins by acknowledging God’s grace and comfort in the past and asks for prayers to be answered. The psalmist guides us: when we are upset, we are not to do the wrong thing but take time, ponder what is going on, put aside our self and put our trust in God. If we want a sign from God, the psalmist recounts that through prayer, right sacrifice and putting our trust in God, the happiness and peace experienced are the real signs of God’s presence.

Job 6: 1 and 7: 7 – 21

Job speaks of the shortness of his life; how he will never see good and it won’t be long before he is dead. He is going to complain! When he thinks he will lie down and rest then even his dreams are nightmares. He would prefer to be strangled that go through what is happening to him.

Job asks God why he is the centre of God’s attention – could not God look away for a moment so that Job can swallow? He asks what is his sin: what has he done to God to deserve this? Why has he become a burden and why won’t God forgive his transgressions? Job believes he is about to die.

1 John 2: 1 – 11

The writer encourages us not to sin but if we do we have an advocate: Jesus Christ. If we say we are faithful but do not obey the commandments we are liars, there is no truth in us and we are in the darkness. If we obey then we should walk as Jesus walked.

If we say we are “in the light” but hate a fellow believer we are in the darkness, we are blind and do not know where we are going.

Collect for Evening Prayer

Moon on Lake Mulwala
NSW L Osburn

Holy Lord you love us and sustain us. When we are worried and upset you want us to bring that to you through Jesus. Be with us tonight in our current circumstances, enable us to be open and honest with you and pour out our pain to you so that we seek your glorious light and peace through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord and Saviour. Amen.

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