16 January 2016

Collects

Prayers developed from the daily readings 

Friday 15 January 2016

Morning Prayer

Psalm 37: 1 – 17

There are people who do evil and prosper. Their presence is a challenge to us to choose faith, to do good things, to stay calm, to not get angry or envious of their wealth. Stay with the Lord and be patient. It is their story and God’s job to deal with if they continue to reject God.

Jeremiah (3: 24 – 25) 4: 1 – 18

Jeremiah continues to tell the people about their shameful behaviour sacrificing to other gods and having orgies. Israel is to repent and circumcise their hearts to avoid wrath. They are to break up the fallow ground in their hearts and sow righteousness – they cannot do it while there are thorns. Judah on the other hand will be attacked and besieged by a force from the north that is already on its way. It is time for lamentation and wailing. The courage of the king will fail and the prophets will be astounded.

John 7: 14 – 24

In the middle of the festival of the Booths Jesus goes to the temple to teach. People are amazed at his knowledge and debate about where his knowledge comes from. Jesus’s knowledge, message and purpose are all from and for God.

Jesus challenges then on their hypocrisy of which parts of the law they allow to be kept or not kept on the Sabbath That is, circumcision which could be performed on the Sabbath or healing by Jesus.

Collect for Morning Prayer

Harvest
Eyre Peninsula SA  L Osburn

Loving God you teach us to break open the hard earth in our hearts and to weed out those things in that will stop the sowing of righteousness in us. Help us to turn away from reacting to evil and instead to focus on you, to stay calm, gentle and patient so that we avoid all hypocrisy and bring forth an abundant harvest of righteousness, love and healing through Jesus Christ Your Son our Lord. Amen.

Friday 15 January 2016

Evening Prayer

Psalm 37: 18 – 41

This portion of the psalm continues with examples of God’s retribution for the wicked and protection and salvation for the faithful and the meek.

Genesis 3: 20 – 4: 16

The first man gives the woman a name, Eve – the mother of all living. God makes them clothes out of skins. God, concerned that humans may overreach again and seek eternal life, banishes the humans from the garden and sets cherubim and a flaming sword at the East.

The man and woman begin to have children. Eve acknowledges God’s assistance in reproduction. The first, Cain, is a farmer. The second, Abel, herds animals. Cain brings an offering to God. Abel brings the firstlings and their fat portions as an offering. Cain perceives that his offering is not accepted and gets angry. God warns him that if Cain does well he will be accepted and if he doesn’t sin lurks ready to pounce so mastery of sin is what is needed. Cain murders Abel.

Abel he asks Cain where Abel is. Cain deflects, “Am I my brother’s keeper?” The Lord lets Cain know that Abel’s blood bears witness in the ground. Cain will no longer be able to till the soil. He is to wander the earth. Cain is concerned others will kill him. God gives him a mark and promises that those who harm him will receive seven-fold vengeance. Cain goes from the presence of God towards the East to a different land.

Colossians 2: 8 – 15

Paul warns not to allow us to be captured by philosophy or empty deceit or elemental spirits but live only according to Christ. In Christ all deity dwells. We have new forms of circumcision, baptism, burial and rebirth. We have been made alive through forgiveness. We do not have to go through the legalistic rules – those were all nailed to the cross. Christ disarmed rules and authorities and has triumphed.

Collect for Evening Prayer

wide, wide and the ocean, high as the heavens above
deep deep as the deepest sea...
The Southern Ocean SA L Osburn

Oh God of compassion and love you came down and were nailed to the cross showing us that all our ideas about our importance, what is just, what is fair, what is our due, how to be, and all the rules we need to follow are merely hot air. Help us to stop all our “shoulds” “oughts”, “musts” and “that’s unfairs” and reflect on you so that we are captured again by the immensity of your love, held in your hand and can pass that love on to others through Jesus Christ our Lord and Saviour. Amen.

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