3 October 2015

Collects

Prayers developed from the daily readings 

Saturday 3 October 2015 

Morning Prayer

Psalm 78: 16 – 38

This portion of the psalm recounts the complaints against God when the Israelites are in the desert with Moses. Water is produced from rocks, food falls from heaven, both bread and birds. They have little faith and yet when they repent, God forgives.

1 Kings 19: 9 – 21

Elijah is in the cave and God asks what is he doing there. He reports how the Israelites have been unfaithful and thrown down God’s prophets. Elijah is the only one left. Elijah is instructed to go outside while the Lord passes by. There is a great wind, earthquake, and fire but the Lord is not in them. Sheer silence follows and Elijah goes out. He hears God’s voice and answers God’s question a second time. God instructs him to go to the wilderness near Damascus and do three things: anoint Hazael as king of Aram, Jehu son of Nimshi as king of Israel and Elisha son of Shaphat to succeed Elijah as prophet. Jehu and Nimshi will kill the unfaithful and those left Elisha will kill. Seven thousand faithful will remain.

Elijah finds Elisha ploughing with 12 oxen. Elijah throws his mantle over Elisha. Elisha asks to go and say goodbye to his family. Elijah helps him understand the gravity of what has happened. Elisha sacrifices all the oxen and shares it with the people then follows Elijah.

Matthew 10: 28 – 42

“Do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul; rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell” (v.28). We are all precious and valuable. Everyone who acknowledges Jesus will be recognised by Jesus before God. Again Jesus tells us the path will not be easy. We need to put Jesus before all other concerns and this will cause dissension in families. We are to love our family members but not more than we love Jesus. Whoever loves something else more than Jesus though they gain it will lose their life with God and those who lose everything for Jesus will gain life. If people in Jesus’ name welcome us then God is welcomed too. And whoever is hospitable to a new believer, someone who has welcomed another in Jesus’ name, will be rewarded.

Collect for Morning Prayer

Dawn
Blackwood River WA L Osburn

 Holy Lord of the silence and of deep commitment. You ask us to be firm and constant in our faith and to recognise that there are sacrifices in following you. Help us to put you first and to make time to listen to you in the silence today so that we worry less about the big flashy events and focus on the tiny welcomes and care we give to others in your name through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, and the power of your Holy Spirit. Amen.

Saturday 3 October 2015

Evening Prayer

Psalms 78: 39 - 70

The psalmist shows how short the memories of humans are and how fickle. The Israelites in the desert did not remember or take into account the miracles of God that enabled their freedom. They had little faith. God held on and made decisions about the future of the people and who would lead them, for example choosing the line of Judah rather than the line of Joseph: choosing David and Mt Zion. Whether humans are faithful or not, God still guides them.

Job 30: 16 – 31: 4

Job, after recounting his previous life turns again to his current state: his soul is poured out, he is afflicted, he is in pain to his bones and he has no rest. He cries out and there is no answer – God just observes. He feels like he is tossed about in a storm. He knows he will die.

He says surely one responds to the needy as he did and feels for and weeps for those in hardship and poverty. He is in turmoil, in darkness, his flesh is falling off and his songs are ones of mourning.

Colossians 2: 16 – 23

Paul counsels the people to focus on the core of our belief and not to get caught up in rules about what to eat, drink, festivals, new moons or anything but to see that these are human generated rules that will pass, and none of them are successful in treating self-indulgence. The most important thing is that the substance, our substance belongs to Christ.

Collect for Evening Prayer

Kookaburra - calm
Blackwood River WA L Osburn

Holy Lord or faithfulness Lord of grace you want us to stay calm and true to you knowing that our substance belongs to Christ. Hold us in stillness this night so that we bring our lives to you in constancy and in faith through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, and the power of your Holy Spirit in our hearts. Amen.

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