29 August 2015
Collects
Prayers
developed from the daily readings
Saturday 29 August 2015
Morning
Prayer
Psalm 145
This psalm praises and blesses God for all the great
acts of creation, mercy, salvation, awesome acts, steadfast love, compassion,
and might. What God has done proclaims the glory of the kingdom. That kingdom
will endure forever.
On a more personal level God is faithful, gracious,
upholds people while they are falling, raises up people who are oppressed. God
provides as required, in time and with justice. God hears, saves and watches
us. We will praise the Lord and all living things will bless God forever.
1 Kings 2: 13 – 27
Adonijah, David’s eldest surviving son, comes to
Bathsheba to ask Solomon whether he could have Abishag – the beautiful woman
who was King David’s attendant in his last days – as his wife. Bathsheba promises
to take the request to Solomon.
Solomon honours her and puts her beside him on a
throne for the conversation. She makes the request and Solomon can see it is
part of a plot by Adonijah to again usurp the kingship. All of the king’s
retinue belong to the king. Solomon orders that Adonjah be killed. He also
banishes Abiathar the priest who supported Adonijah and who is of the house of
Eli. This ends the connection of Eli’s offspring with the sacred priesthood as
prophesied by Eli in Shiloh.
Acts 23: 1 – 11
Paul, before the chief priests and council that
includes Pharisees and Sadducees begins to speak. Ananias orders those close by
to hit him in the mouth. Paul retaliates implying that Ananias is something old
and grubby that has been covered in a white wash to conceal what is beneath. It
was a violation of the Law to strike someone before they have a chance to put
their case. Paul is then told that Ananais is a priest.
Paul identifies himself as a Pharisee and says he is
on trial because he believes in the resurrection. This is a contested point
between Pharisees and Sadducees. The Pharisees immediately find that Paul has
no case to answer. The debate becomes violent and the tribune fearing that Paul
would literally be torn to shreds, orders the soldiers to return him to the
barracks.
That night Paul
experiences Christ’s presence who tells him that since he testified for Christ
in Jerusalem, he will also testify in Rome.
Collect for
Morning Prayer
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God of creation, mercy,
compassion and salvation you know our hearts and our failings, our ambitions
and motives. You are always faithful and follow through on your commitments and
warnings. Today, even though there may be uproar around us, help us remember
your greatness and your love for us in the real and close presence of Christ
your son our saviour and Lord so that we are confident to step out in faith
secure in the knowledge of our future with you through Jesus Christ
your Son our Lord and the power of your Holy Spirit in our hearts. Amen.
Saturday 29 August 2015
Evening
Prayer
Psalm 147
This psalm rejoices in singing praise to a gracious
God. God builds up the community, gathers the outcasts, heals the broken-hearted
and binds their wounds. This is the same God who created the stars. Sing to
God.
God brings the rain that produces grass and feeds the
animals and allows birds to sing. God isn’t interested in who is the fastest or
strongest but in our reverence.
The city of the faithful is charged to praise the
Lord: for itself, the safety of the children and the peace. This God who
controls all the weather looks after us. No other God is like our God.
Job 4: 1 and 5: 17 – 6: 13
Eliphaz continues his response to Job. Eliphaz
considers that this might be God correcting Job and if so, there will be a
reward. If there is great and widespread calamity Job has already been trained
and will be able to be calm and if there isn’t everything will turn out well for
him: he will again have children and grow old.
Job replies that if his upset and the losses he has
experienced are weighed it is huge. If, as Eliphaz says this is from God then it
is poisoning his spirit and how will he cope if God is against him? Like wild
animals eating grass we consume what we are given we don’t bleat about it. But
the meal Job has is tasteless and he doesn’t want to eat it at all.
If God is against Job, just get it over with – even if
it is horribly painful – God is still God.
He then asks, how strong is he really to bear this –
not strong at all. There is nothing Job can do from his own strength.
Romans 16: 17 – 27
Paul urges the Roman Christians to
be on the watch for dissent and to come back to what they have been taught at
the first so that false teachers do not sway them. There are greetings from
people with Paul. Paul ends the letter praying that God strengthens them and
keeps them obedient to the faith through Jesus Christ to the glory of God
forever.
Collect for
Evening Prayer
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Holy and
Almighty God you have given us a first commandment to love you and we are to go
back to that first lesson. You are not interested in our strength or speed. You
are interested in whether we revere you love you and hold faithful to you in
every circumstance. Help us take a moment to set aside our cares and troubles
and give you thanks and praise so that we, no matter what, are faithful in your
eyes through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord and Saviour. Amen.
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