19 September 2015

Collects

Prayers developed from the daily readings 

Saturday 19 September 2015 

Morning Prayer

Psalm 45

This is an ode to a king’s wedding full of praise and descriptions of beauty, strength and wealth. The song calls to the princess bride to leave her people, bow to the king and receive the gifts of the kingdom.

1 Kings 12: 18 – 33

King Rehoboam sends out the taskmaster of all the forced labour the man is stoned. Rehoboam retreats to Jerusalem and calls together an army from the tribe of Benjamin to restore the kingdom. Shemiah, the prophet conveys God’s word that they must not fight their kindred and the split in the kingdom is from God. The people therefore go home.

Meanwhile, Jeroboam fears that all the people in his charge will refocus on Jerusalem since they go there to worship and sacrifice. He sets up two calves of gold. They are to worship now at Bethel or Dan. He tells the people these are their god who brought them out of Egypt. He sets up priestly houses with people who are not Levites. He declares a festival on a day of his device.

Matthew 6: 5 – 15

Jesus says when we pray do it not for external praise but quietly behind a closed door. Keep it simple and use the prayer our Lord gave us. Forgive others their trespasses and God will also forgive us. If we fail to forgive, so God will not forgive us.

Collect for Morning Prayer

Gladstone Harbour
Gladstone Qld L Osburn

 Almighty Lord you show us that no matter what ruler we have, faithful or godless we are responsible for our relationship with you. Help us to be like the princess and come to you, commit to you in our quiet devotions and prayers, forgiving others, not fighting each other so that we may receive your peace and the gifts of your kingdom: praise, beauty, strength and abundance through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, and the power of your Holy Spirit. Amen.

Saturday 19 September 2015

Evening Prayer

Psalms 46 and 47

God is our strength and refuge and we are to be in awe of him: to be still and know that God is God.

The second psalm is a joyous song of praise beginning with clapping our hands. Our God is awesome ruler of everything, shielding us. God is to be exalted.

Job 20: 12 – 29

Zophar, Job’s friend continues his reply. He describes the fate of the wicked: although they have everything it will not last, it will be regurgitated and will bring them no benefit. Even in full sufficiency they will be in distress. God will punish. The earth will see and respond to their iniquity. All their possessions will be carried away.

Ephesians 4: 1 – 16

Paul encourages the people toward Christian maturity. We are to lead lives that are worthy of our calling: “with humility, gentleness, patience, bearing with one another in love, making every effort to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace” (v.3). We are to hold to the core components of our faith: one body, one spirit, one Lord, one faith, one God of all. We have different gifts and abilities and different roles to play. We are not to be tossed about by novel ideas but to speak truth in love and steadily grow into Christ.

Collect for Evening Prayer

One man, one crane: job done
Gladstone Qld L Osburn

Holy Lord we give you thanks and praise for being our refuge, our strength and our shield. We thank you for your gifts, your Son, your Holy Spirit and wise teachers. Help us hold to the core of faith, lead lives worthy of our calling and be authentically ourselves doing what our skills and abilities enable us to do for you, in praise and thanksgiving through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, and the power of your Holy Spirit in our hearts. Amen.

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