14 October 2015

Collects

Prayers developed from the daily readings 

Wednesday 14 October 2015 

Morning Prayer

Psalms 108 and 109: 20 - 30

The first psalm begins with praising God, giving thanks and acknowledging God’s faithfulness. It moves on to ask for a victory and recognises that if God does not go with us there are no victories.

The portion of the second psalm is a prayer for deliverance “Let them curse, but you will bless”.

2 Kings 3: 4 – 27

After King Ahab of Israel dies the King of Moab who used to send lambs and wool to Israel refuses. King Jehoram engages King Jehosophat of Judah and the King of Edom to battle against Moab. They travel 7 days on a circuitous route and find there is no water. Jehoram bemoans being brought out to die. Jehosophat calls for a prophet. Elisha comes and will not contend with Jehoram – suggesting he get his own prophets, but he will work with Jehosophat. Elisha prophesies that the wadi will fill with water without rain or wind and that they will win Moab.

In the morning the wadi is full. The Moabites gather their army. They approach at dawn and see that the wadi water looks red like blood. They presume the 3 Kings have fought among themselves so rush in. The Moabites are defeated. The three Kings’ forces go on to take the country except for the town Kir-hareseth where the King of Moab sacrifices his own son. This causes great indignation against Israel. The army of Israel returns home.

Matthew 13: 31 – 43

Jesus says the kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed that grows into a bush or like yeast mixed in flour to leaven bread. Both are tiny at the start – both transform.

Jesus’ telling of parables fulfils the prophecies. Then Jesus explains the parable of the weeds in the wheat field to the disciples.

Collect for Morning Prayer

Tiny fragile maidenhair fern
Greater Beedelup National Park
WA L Osburn

God of great and miraculous victories you have given us victory over death and sin through Jesus. Help us this day to bring Christ’s love and light into the world so that we are your mustard seeds and your yeast growing a kingdom that welcomes and houses, flourishes, feeds and protects all through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, and the power of your Holy Spirit. Amen.

Wednesday 14 October 2015

Evening Prayer

Psalm 119: 105 – 128

This psalm is full of powerful one-liners. “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path”; “You are my hiding place and my shield”; “Deal with your servant according to your steadfast love, and teach me your statutes”; “Truly I love your commandments more than gold, more than fine gold”.

Job 36: 5 – 21

God is mighty in understanding and does not despise anyone. The righteous are raised up as valuable as kings. The afflicted are made aware of their situation so they can repent. If they don’t they die without knowledge. Through adversity our ears are opened to God.

God gave Job success and wealth and he has been brought to a place of constraint. But Job is obsessed with his own case and with justice and judgement. Job needs to take care that this obsession does not make him scoff or think it is too hard to get over and give up. No matter how much you cry out or how much strength you muster the distress doesn’t change. Don’t wish for death and to be cut off. Beware not to start sinning because you are afflicted.

1 Peter 1: 18 – 2: 3

Peter says we have been ransomed from the futile ways we learned from our ancestors. The ransom was not gold but the blood of Christ, his death and resurrection so that our faith and hope is now set on God. As we have purified our souls by obedience to the truth and by love of our neighbours we have been born anew.

All flesh is like grass – it withers. God’s word endures and that word is the good news. Therefore we are to rid ourselves of any insincerity, envy or malice and seek spiritual food from God so that we grow into salvation.

Collect for Evening Prayer

Karri tree shedding the old bark
revealing the clean new bark beneath.
Greater Beedelup National Park
WA L Osburn

Compassionate and loving God you understand us: our struggles, our burdens and our constraints. You guide, protect and love us and want us to remember that Christ died for us. As we reflect on today, help us to see those moments where we sought spiritual food from you, opened our ears and hearts and purified our souls through obedience to your truth and loved our neighbours so that we may be strengthened to love and serve you all our days through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, and the power of your Holy Spirit in our hearts. Amen.

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