18 November 2015
Collects
Prayers
developed from the daily readings
Wednesday 18
November 2015
Morning
Prayer
Psalms 41 and 44: 1 - 9
The psalmist is sick.
Illness was seen in the past as punishment for sin. Enemies hope the psalmist
will die but come and visit being pleasant, then make plots when they leave.
Even the psalmist’s best friend has turned his back. The psalmist prays for
healing, restoration and vindication. God is blessed.
This portion of the second
psalm reminds us of God’s actions in nation building and protecting the people
in wars. They do not go into battle trusting in their own abilities but in God.
And yet, now they have suffered a defeat.
2 Kings 20
Hezekiah is sick. Isaiah
instructs him to get his house in order for he will die. Hezekiah turns and
prays. Before Isaiah has fully left the king’s house God speaks, tells him to
return and to say that Hezekiah’s prayers are heard, he will be healed in 3
days and he will have 15 more years.
Hezekiah has visitors from
the King of Babylon and he shows them all the treasures of the King’s house.
Isaiah clarifies that he indeed did this and prophesies that all will be
removed to Babylon and some of Hezekiah’s sons will be eunuchs in the palace of
the King of Babylon. Hezekiah answers that God’s word is good as he thinks this
prophecy means there will be peace between the kingdoms.
Hezekiah makes the pool and
the conduit to bring water directly into the city. When he dies his son
Manasseh becomes king.
Matthew
25: 14 – 30
The
kingdom of heaven is as if a man gives varying amounts of resources to his
slaves in the proportion 5, 2 and 1. The one with 5 traded and makes 5 more. The
one with 2 traded and makes 2 more. The one with 1 buries it. On return the man
returns and settles accounts with the slaves. Those whose resources
increased are praised and put in control of many things. The one who buried explains that
he knows the man profits from things he doesn’t do so kept the resource safe
and hands it back in full. The man becomes angry calling the slave lazy and
wicked. At least he could have handed the resource to someone and gained
interest. The resource the slave had is given to the one who has 5 portions.
For
those who have something more will be given and those who have nothing even
that will be taken and the worthless one will be cast out into darkness where
there will be weeping and distress.
Collect for
Morning Prayer
 |
| Kangaroo at dawn Armadale WA L Osburn |
Wednesday
18 November 2015
Evening
Prayer
Psalm 44: 10 – 27
In this psalm there has
been a great defeat. The people are scattered, enslaved, had everything taken
and destroyed. They are humiliated, derided, taunted, reviled and disgraced.
But they do not forget God’s promise or turn their hearts away. If they had,
would not God discover it? God knows our heart’s secrets. The psalmist ends
with a call to God to rise, to come to our aid and redeem us through steadfast
love.
Ecclesiastes 5: 1 – 12
In religious observance
take care: listen. Fools can’t help sinning and their sacrifices have little
value. Be careful with your words when you speak with God. All dreams come with
obligations.
When you make a vow to
God; do it. If you do make a vow and don’t fulfil it then blaming God for
things going wrong later will be a sin.
Our dreams are entwined
with vanities so it is better to revere God.
When we see a province or
country where there is oppression we are not to be amazed. Usually there are
supervisors and managers. If there are workers in a country it is better to
have someone in charge even if there is oppression.
Those who love money or
wealth will never have enough. When we have stuff we get bigger but really all
the pleasure is that we can see the material things. If we labour we sleep well
even if we don’t get much to eat but the rich don’t sleep well because they
have more than enough.
Revelation 8
When the Lamb opens the 7th
seal there is silence in heaven for half an hour.
Seven angles before God
have seven trumpets. Another angel has incense. The prayers of all the saints
go up to God. The angel with the censer fills it with fire from the altar and
throws it to the earth resulting in thunder, lightning, earthquakes…
Four angels in turn blow
their trumpet resulting in hail, fire, blood and a scorched earth; a mountain
of fire thrown in the sea killing a third of all the creatures there and
destroying a third of all the boats; a great star falls and makes all water
bitter and; the sun, moon and stars are stuck and lose a third of their light.
An eagle rises up crying, “Woe to the earth,” since there are three more
trumpets still to be blown.
Collect for
Evening Prayer
 |
| City lights at night Perth WA L Osburn |
Holy almighty God you are worthy to be revered and
praised. We thank you for this wake-up call. There is an end of everything and
it will come. Give us this night the wisdom to re-set the priorities in our
lives so that we are part of your kingdom, your praise and your eternity through
Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, and the power of your Holy Spirit in our
hearts. Amen.
Please leave a comment or
feedback.
No comments:
Post a Comment