Sunday, 25 October 2015

26 October 2015

Collects

Prayers developed from the daily readings 


Monday 26 October 2015 
Morning Prayer

Psalms 137: 1 – 6 (7 – 9) and 138

The song of the exiles... “By the river of Babylon”. The psalmist feels the pain and anguish of the destruction of Jerusalem and worries about forgetting yet finding it impossible to sing.

The second psalm is a song of praise and deliverance and ends with the psalmist faithfully claiming, “the Lord will fulfil his purpose for me” (v.8).

2 Kings 9: 1 – 16

Elisha instructs one member of the company of prophets to go to Ramoth-gilead and anoint Jehu King of Israel, and then flee. The prophet does as instructed. The officers who are with Jehu question him. He gives them a superficial answer: they press him. He tells them he has been anointed. They take off their cloaks, spread them out and proclaim him king.

King Joram of Israel had been at Ramoth-gilead but returned to Jezreel to recover from wounds inflicted by the Arameans. Jehu, having been accepted as King orders that Ramoth-gilead be closed so that no news can get to Jezreel. Jehu goes by chariot himself to Jezreel where King Joram is. King Ahaziah of Judah is also there visiting him.

Matthew 18: 1 – 14

“Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” Jesus says that unless we change and become like children we will not even enter heaven. When we humble ourselves like children we become great and when we welcome a child of God we welcome Christ. So if we cause someone who believes in Christ to stumble, woe to the person who causes the stumble. Jesus takes this further, since we are believers, and says if some part of us causes us as children of God to stumble we would be better off without it – even if it is a body part.

He goes on to say we are not to despise those who believe in Christ since their angels continually look at the face of God. And God, knowing like a shepherd that one sheep from the flock is missing will search for that missing one and bring it home rejoicing. It is not God’s will that one child of God will be lost.


Collect for Morning Prayer

Tiny lizard int he desert
Head of the Bight SA L Osburn
 Holy and gracious Lord you have a plan for each of us and ordain that none of us are to be lost. Be with us today in all circumstances - exile, war, business - to step beyond our own concerns support others especially in their belief and so bring them and us to praise and give thanks to you as our loving parent through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, and the power of your Holy Spirit. Amen.



Monday 26 October 2015
Evening Prayer

Psalm 139

The psalmist loves, reveres and understands the majesty and ever-presence of God. He wants to distance himself from anyone and anything that is opposed to God – to actively step away. He appeals to God to examine him, test him and lead him in the right way.

Job 42

Job acknowledges that God can do anything and God’s purpose will be fulfilled. Job accepts that he did not understand and God’s characteristics are too wonderful for him to grasp. Job then says all his knowledge of God came by being told but now he has seen God, he despises himself and deeply repents.

The Lord says to Eliphaz that he and his two friends have not said the right thing about God and need to take seven bulls and seven rams and sacrifice them as a burnt offering and Job will pray for them. God says he will accept Job’s prayers for his friends. They do so.

God restores everything to Job – health, wealth, property, family, friends. His life is long. He sees his great grand children and his three daughters are given property equal with their brothers.

2 Peter 1: 1 – 11

The letter begins with a blessing that grace and peace be ours in abundance in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord. God has given us everything we need so that we can escape the corruption of our own ambitions and desires, and may be participants in divine nature.

Simeon Peter provides a scaffold for our lives. Our faith is supported by goodness, knowledge, self-control, endurance, godliness, mutual affection and love. It builds from love up.

If these things are present in our lives and building in our communities we will be effective and fruitful in the knowledge of Christ. If they are absent we are near sighted and blind and forgetful of the cleansing of our sins. We are therefore encouraged to confirm our call and our election so that we will not stumble and we can enter Christ’s kingdom.

Collect for Evening Prayer

Desert flowers
Head of the Bight SA L Osburn
Holy Lord we love you are revere you knowing that your greatness is far beyond our comprehension. Forgive us for our self-seeking ambitions and guide us to love you, love each other, be disciplined, seek to know you better, and always act for good so that we constantly give you thanks and praise for the cleansing of our sin through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, and the power of your Holy Spirit in our hearts. Amen.

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