11 September 2015
11 September
2015
Collects
Prayers
developed from the daily readings
Friday 11 September
2015
Morning
Prayer
Psalms 28 and 29
In the first psalm, the
there is an appeal to God to hear the pleas of the psalmist and consider him to
be like people who don’t believe and / or those who are deceitful. The psalmist
changes focus and reminds us how big and powerful God is who saves and
shepherds the people forever.
The next psalm picks up
this theme on the almighty power of God just by whose voice water, forests,
mountains and fire dance or whirl. The Lord’s power brings people confidence
and peace.
1 Kings 9: 1 – 14
God appears to Solomon and
says the prayers have been heard and that God will indeed have both heart and
eye on Jerusalem. God promises Solomon to be with him and his offspring provided
they keep the commandments with integrity of heart and uprightness. If
however, they are not faithful but serve other gods then Israel will be cut off
and the temple destroyed. Israel will be a taunt, a proverb and a heap of
ruins. When people ask why this has happened the answer will be because they
have forsaken the Lord their God who brought them out of Egypt.
After 20 years Solomon’s
house and the temple are complete. Solomon cedes 20 cities in Galilee to Hiram
King of Tyre in exchange for 100 talents of gold. Hiram is not happy with the
quality of the cities.
Acts
28: 1 – 16
The
shipwreck survivors find they are on Malta. The people are welcoming and
generous. While building a fire Paul is bitten by a snake. The Maltese people
expect him to die and decide he must have been a murderer. They wait and watch
for him to die. When nothing happens they decide he must be a god. The leader
of the area gives the survivors accommodation in his home. His father is sick
and Paul heals him. Thereafter many people come to be healed. The people are
grateful and after 3 months the group sails for Rome. The Maltese people provide the necessary provisions for the ship and crew. They stop on the way and
meet communities of believers. When Paul arrives in Rome he is permitted to
live by himself with the soldier who was guarding him.
Collect for
Morning Prayer
A meal in peace Harrietville Vic L Osburn |
Almighty and
compassionate God you bring confidence, peace, provision, food, shelter,
support and freedom to live in the community both to those who love and serve
you and those in community with them. Help us in the days to come to remember
that you repay those who do evil and who deceive. Remind us that you are all
powerful and though Paul was surrounded by foreigners and non-believers, people
who thought he was a deadly threat, they were the ones who were generous
enabling him to do your will. Take away our doubts and fears so that we too may
act out of compassion and love, keeping your commandment to love our neighbours
and increase the flow of generosity, healing and support in this world you love
through Jesus
Christ your Son our Lord, and the power of your Holy Spirit. Amen.
Friday 11 September
2015
Evening
Prayer
Psalms 30 and 32
The first psalm is of
praise and thanksgiving for healing and prayers answered. “Weeping may linger
for the night but joy comes with morning” (v.5).
The second psalm begins
telling us how happy are those whose sins are forgiven. The psalmist recounts
how he was unwell and until he acknowledged his sins and confessed. Healing
began. He encourages all to offer prayer when distressed and warns us not to be
stubborn about it. Steadfast love
surrounds those who trust in the Lord.
Job 15: 1 – 16
Eliphaz, Job’s friend,
challenges Job countering that Job’s arguments can undo the necessity for
people to fear God – which the wise and tradition shows is essential. Eliphaz
counters Job’s assertion of wisdom asking how is it that he a human could know
the secret knowledge of creation. Eliphaz says that mortals can never be clean
before God and God really can’t trust humans*.
2 John
This is a brief letter encouraging the readers to
continue in loving God and loving each other and to be wary of false teachers
who deny Jesus’s life as a human. The writer calls the denial of Jesus’s
humanity the work of the devil. We are not to welcome these people into our
homes as teachers because we would be participating in spreading the evil. The
writer ends saying he hopes to visit soon and sends greeting from another group
of believers.
Collect for
Evening Prayer
The path Blackwood River WA L Osburn |
Holy and loving God, you answer our prayers, you forgive
our sins, you trust us to do your will and to spread your word faithfully in
word and deed. Be with us as we bring our day before you. Help us see where we
did your will. Be with us as we repent where we stepped aside from your way and
encourage us in your love to make a new start with you in the joy of the new
day through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, and the power of your Holy Spirit
in our hearts. Amen.
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feedback.
*Yet we know from
the beginning of this story that that is exactly what God did and we know that God
counted Abraham righteous.
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