14 January 2016

Collects

Prayers developed from the daily readings 

Thursday 14 January 2016

Morning Prayer

Psalm 34

This is a psalm of thanksgiving and praise and one that teaches people to love and fear the Lord, to avoid evil and to seek peace. The psalmist teaches, “the Lord redeems the life of his servants” (v22).

Jeremiah 3: (1 – 5) 6 – 23

In this section Israel and Judah’s unfaithfulness by chasing idols and other gods is compared to an unfaithful divorced woman who has had other husbands and now her original husband would take her back. Jeremiah uses this to help the people understand the situation. The people are encouraged to repent and to return the God. The correct people’s reply is to admit their sin and waste of sacrifices: to admit their disgrace.

John 7: 1 – 13

Jesus stays away from Judea due to the threats on his life. His brothers however, encourage him to go to the feast of the Tabernacles so that others can see what he can do and as he is a public figure he can’t continue to go about in secret. Jesus says this is not his time to enter Judea publicly. The brothers go. Later, Jesus follows in secret and he hears what the people are whispering about him – too afraid of those in power to speak aloud.

Collect for Morning Prayer

Cool, refreshing steam
Ovens River Harrietville Vic
L Osburn

Jesus, our Lord and saviour, you are closer than we know. You listen to us and hear our internal conflicts and fears. Whether we are faithful or unfaithful, disciples or people who do not know you, your compassion for us all took you to the cross. Help us all take a moment to repent, to place our focus on God and ask for God’s grace to bring us back, close, loved, held and precious through you Jesus. Amen.

Thursday 14 January 2016

Evening Prayer

Psalm 119: 17 – 40

In this section of the psalm is the plea to be taught and to be shown how to live out the commandments daily and how to read and understand scripture. There is a plea for protection against ridicule or harm by others because of our desire to be with and know God.

Genesis 3: 1 – 19

The serpent, through craftiness converses with the woman about God’s instructions on eating. The woman says that eating the fruit of the tree in the middle of the garden will bring death. The serpent challenges her thinking – surely God wouldn’t cause you to die – but instead your eyes will be open, you will get wisdom, you will be like God. She looks, eats the fruit, and gives it to the man who eats then both become aware of their separateness and nakedness and hide from God. When God confronts them they blame each other. The punishment is that the serpent will become an enemy and either be crushed or will injure and demobilise the children of the woman. Childbearing becomes hard and unlike in the perfect garden the man will rule the woman. The man will also struggle, sweat and toil and at the end return to dust.

Colossians 2: 1 – 7

Paul wants us to be encouraged and united in love, to have assured understanding and the knowledge of God’s mystery: Christ. As we have received Christ we are to continue to live our lives, rooted, established and grounded in Christ and to give thanks.

Collect for Evening Prayer

A time of quiet
Cape Le Grand National Park WA
L Osburn

Holy Lord we thank you and praise you for opening the scriptures to us for our understanding and encouragement. When we have sinned, when we are guilty and we are aware of our nakedness before you, remind us of the great mystery of Christ through whom all sin is washed away so that we can with joy and hope and love run to you, straight to your arms and give you thanks through Jesus Christ our Lord and Saviour. Amen.

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