25 September 2015
Collects
Prayers
developed from the daily readings
Friday 25 September
2015
Morning
Prayer
Psalms
62 and 63
For God
my soul waits in silence: my salvation and my hope come from God. All people
and things and powers are temporary. God is our rock and fortress and we shall
not be shaken. Steadfast love belongs to God.
As a
drought-ravaged land seeks water so our souls seek God. God’s love is better
than life. God’s love is like a rich feast. Meditating on God causes our souls
to sing.
The
psalm ends with a plea for personal security.
1 Kings 15: 9 – 24
King Asa reigns for
forty-one years. He removes the male temple prostitutes, the idols and images.
He even removes his mother from her position because she worshipped an image.
He leaves the high places, but his heart is true to God.
A war with King Baasha of Israel
continues. King Baasha decides to build the city of Ramah to block movement
into Judah. King Asa makes an alliance with King Ben-hadad of Aram who invades
and conquers parts of Israel causing King Baasha to retreat and Ramah to be
isolated. Under King Asa’s instruction the people of Judah carry away all the
building materials and use it to build Geba instead.
King Asa continues to build
cities. He dies of an illness that affects his feet.
Matthew
8: 5 – 22
A
centurion comes and asks for healing for a sick servant. He explains that he is
not worthy for Christ to come into his home but Christ need only command the
servant will be healed. Jesus heals the servant and praises the centurion for
his faith.
He
heals and casts out many spirits, which fulfils the prophecy of Isaiah “He took
our infirmities and bore our diseases”.
A crowd
gathers. A scribe approaches and says he will follow Jesus who replies that
foxes and birds have places to rest but Jesus has no place to rest. He is
making it clear that following Jesus as not a picnic.
Another
disciple asks first to bury his father. Jesus says, “Follow me and let the dead
bury their own dead” (v. 22).
Collect for
Morning Prayer
 |
| Pelican going up Denmark WAL Osburn |
Friday 25 September
2015
Evening
Prayer
Psalms
64 and 67
The
first psalm is about those who do evil and think no one can see or hear them.
God knows. God sees. God will respond. Let the righteous rejoice and take
refuge in God.
The
second psalm is a blessing. “May God be gracious to us and bless us and make
his face shine upon us” (v 1). The blessing asks too that our lives be
testament to God’s glory. May the whole world sing praise and rejoice.
Job 24: 1 – 17
Job lists all the pain and
suffering experienced by the victims of evil actions and the ungodly. He
accuses God of not being timely with judgement and reprieve. It would appear
that God is not listening to the prayers of the poor and oppressed.
Ephesians 6: 1 – 9
Paul counsels the Christians to honour each other, our
parents, our children, our masters if we are slaves and our slaves if we are
masters. We are to remember to work diligently not only when we are being
watched but at all times. We are to acknowledge that there is one Lord of us
all and we are all equal before God.
Collect for
Evening Prayer
 |
| Pelicans Denmark WA L Osburn |
God
of blessing and God of love, you value all of us equally. Help us to do your
will not for reward or out of fear that you are watching but out of our love
and thanks to you. Help us love all those you love – which is all of us. Help
us serve all those you served when you gave your life for us all and bring us
to ponder your grace so that we may lift up our hearts and rejoice through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, and the power of your Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Please leave a comment or
feedback.
No comments:
Post a Comment