26 December 2015

Collects

Prayers developed from the daily readings 

Saturday 26 December 2015 

Morning Prayer

Collects

Psalms 137: 1 – 6 (7 –9); 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”.

Isaiah 60: 1 – 11

Isaiah prophesies the rebuilding and restoration of Jerusalem including the use of foreign resources and labour –believers from other nations. Jerusalem’s gates will be forever open and kings will visit.

Acts 6: 1 – 7 and 7: 1 – 47

Early on in the church the number of disciples increases. Poor organisation for food distribution to widows leads to the appointment of 7 people who the apostles pray over and lay hands on. Stephen is one of these.

Stephen is full of the Spirit in ministry and the word. He is accused of blasphemy against Moses and God. In answering the charges. He recites the story of God’s relationship and interactions with the people from Abraham to Solomon’s building of the first temple.

Collect for Morning Prayer 

Ruins of the telegraph station
Eucla WA  L Osburn

Holy and sufficient God, you care for us whether we are refugees and exiles, besieged by armies or other terrors or in new developing communities of faith. Help us to read receive assistance from others. Help us to be humble, to recognise that we cannot do all the tasks required alone and to appoint your faithful people from diverse backgrounds, pray for them and encourage your Spirit in them so that your purpose for each of us may be fulfilled through Jesus Christ Your Son our Lord. Amen.    

Saturday 26 December 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.

Isaiah 28: 1 – 13

Isaiah warns Samaria of an invasion that will take away the pride of the city, which is like a wreath decorating a head. This wreath is drunk and out of order. The remnant of faithful people will have God as their wreath: God’s spirit of justice and source of strength.

Even these faithful are staggering currently and making poor decisions.

Those hearing Isaiah mock and all they hear is like instructions for children: do this, do that, rule after rule, little step after little step. They will hear now through the new language of the invader, they won’t understand that God says this is a place where the weary are allowed to rest. So they will think the way forward is found through rules – things that tells them what to do and lead them little by little. Through this they will be captured, injured and fall into the snare.

Titus 1

Paul writes to Titus who is on the island of Crete. He instructs him on the characteristics he is to use to identify elders and to appoint them.

Titus is to silence people who rebel, whose actions are deceitful and stop them from spreading false things or seeking dishonest gain. Titus is to rebuke them so that their faith will be sound – not full of old myths.

To the pure all things are pure.

But for those who are corrupt, they unable to see the pure and their actions deny God and reveal their corruption. They are not able to do good things.

Collect for Evening Prayer
   

Together
Oaklands NSW  L Osburn

Wonderful counsellor, ever-living God you love us and want us to be with you. Help us hear your words and examine ourselves, step away from any thing that is opposed to you and encourage others to do the same so that we are able to do your will and build your glorious kingdom through Jesus Christ our Lord and Saviour. Amen.

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