7 September 2015

Collects

Prayers developed from the daily readings 

Monday 7 September 2015 

Morning Prayer

Psalm 19

The sky in silence, every day and every night shows us that God is magnificent. God’s commandments are magnificent. They are right, they delight the heart, they are simple, they are more precious than gold. And the commandments warn us – but can we ever truly detect all our own faults? David asks for help so that he does not commit presumptuous sins*. He finishes with:

“Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable to you, O Lord my rock and my redeemer.”

1 Kings 7: 51 – 8: 21

The temple is complete. Solomon brings all the dedicated vessels to the temple storeroom. Solomon assembles the elders and leaders and brings the ark, the tent of meeting and all the vessels from the city of David – Zion just south of the temple. They celebrate with sacrifices. The priests place the ark in the inner sanctuary. All that was in the ark was the tablets Moses placed there at Horeb. A dark cloud fills the sanctuary after the priests leave signifying God’s presence.

Solomon blesses everyone and tells them again the story of David’s promise to build the temple and God’s instruction that it was to be one of David’s sons who does it. The prophecies and promises are fulfilled.

Acts 26: 19 – 32

Paul continues his testimony to King Agrippa, and the governor Festus. He tells of how he teaches the scriptures and encourages people of other nations to repent and turn to God. Festus tells him he is out of his mind from too much learning.  Paul defends and calls on King Agrippa’s knowledge of the scriptures and what is happening. King Agrippa asks is Paul challenging him to become Christian. Paul answers that he would like everyone who is listening to become Christian. King Agrippa and Festus on leaving agree that Paul has no case to answer and could be released immediately except that he has appealed to the Emperor.

Collect for Morning Prayer

Our garden
Harrietville Vic L Osburn

Great God and Lord of all, creation, David’s song, the temple Solomon built and Paul’s testimony, are all acceptable to you. We pray that our lives, thoughts words and deeds may also be acceptable to you through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, and the power of your Holy Spirit. Amen.

Monday 7 September 2015

Evening Prayer

Psalm 119: 1 – 16

This portion of the psalm celebrates those who know and follow the laws of God. The psalmist asks to be taught and to be assisted to follow these laws.

“I will delight in your statutes; I will not forget your word” (v 16).

Job 11

Zophar, one of Job’s friends answers him. First he rebukes Job and tells not only that he must be guilty but also that God’s wisdom is unfathomable. He then presumes to know what God would do and say.

1 John 4: 1 – 12

The writer says we are to test spirits and prophets. If they do not confess that Jesus came in flesh and was from God we are to know they are from the world. Though the world might listen to them we won’t, and they will not listen to us. We are to love each other since God first loved us and sent his Son for us. If we love one another God lives in us and, God’s love is perfected through us.

Collect for Evening Prayer

Mother and Juvenile King Parrots - breakfast
Harrietville Vic L Osburn

Holy loving and gracious God, you ask two things of us: to love you and to love each other. Help us love you so much and be so humble that we never presume to know your thoughts or ways. Help us to show compassion to each other especially when we suffer loss, insult and illness are worried and confused so that we are known as your faithful people and your will can be perfected in us through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, and the power of your Holy Spirit in our hearts. Amen.

*The Hebrew uses the words presumptuous sins. Presumptuous sins are:

1.     When we do know better

2.     When we deliberately plan to do it or keep nurturing the thought about doing it, or have built up a habit of a particular sin

3.     Sinning to show total disregard for God

4.     Thinking that we are immune from a particular type of sin because we are strong or “able to manage it”. This is risky, and,

5.     “I’ll repent tomorrow…” presumes a tomorrow.

From
 Rev. C. H. Spurgeon 1857

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