29 January 2016

Collects

Prayers developed from the daily readings 

Friday 29 January 2016

Morning Prayer

Psalm 69: 1 – 16

This psalmist is a lowly servant of the Lord and through zeal has done something that causes him to be the butt of jokes and ridicule. The psalmist is fasting and in sackcloth. He pleads for deliverance and praises God.

Jeremiah 10: 17 – 11: 8

Jeremiah continues to let the people know that the siege is not going to be lifted and they will lose everything. The leaders of the community are not listening to God. Jeremiah asks to be corrected justly and asks for God’s punishment to also fall on nations that don’t believe. God reminds everyone of the covenant, of how God fulfilled it and of how the people were warned “Obey my voice”. Instead they walk in the stubbornness of an evil will.

Luke 1: 57 – 66

Elizabeth gives birth. At the circumcision Elizabeth says the child will be called John. Community members protest that no one in the family is called John. They defer to Zechariah who writes on a tablet, “His name is John”. Zechariah’s speech returns and he praises God. The neighbours were afraid to see these events and wonder what the child would become, “for indeed the hand of the Lord was with him” (v.66).

Collect for Morning Prayer

Uphill from here to Bon Accord Hill
Alpine National Park Vic L Osburn

Holy, Lord you are indeed mighty and you carry out your promises to us. Help us to keep our promises to you and to put aside doubt so that we walk with the stubbornness of commitment and love and devotion to you knowing that your deliverance is sure and your love eternal through Jesus Christ Your Son our Lord. Amen.

Friday 29 January 2016

Evening Prayer

Psalm 69: 17 – 23 (24 – 30) 31 – 38

The psalmist praises the Lord and is suffering from insults and dishonour. When he goes for counsel and support the response is bitter, and heart-breaking – no real compassion. The psalmist is very angry, he wants God’s wrath to destroy and punish, but he leaves that anger with and for God. The psalmist praises God, who unlike a God in the form of a bull, will listen. The psalmist ends in praise and a plea to God to come quickly.

Genesis 17

Abram is 99 years old when God makes a covenant that his offspring will be numerous. God changes Abram’s name to Abraham and instructs Abraham to change Sarai’s name to Sarah. Abraham asks for blessing for Ishmael, He is blessed and will be the father of 12 tribes but Isaac, the son Sarah will have will be the one with whom God’s covenant is established. Abraham is instructed to circumcise all males as part of this covenant. Circumcision is to occur on the eighth day of life or when the male comes into the household as a servant or child of a servant. Abraham immediately begins the circumcision of himself and all males in his household including Ishmael who is 13.

James 4: 11 – 5: 6

Do not speak evil against each other for that is judging. It is speaking evil against the law and judging the law. Therefore you are not doing the law but breaking it. There is only one lawgiver and one judge able to save and to destroy. So who are we to judge our neighbour?

Instead of thinking, “Tomorrow I’ll got to someplace and start a new venture”, think instead, “If the Lord wishes we will….” Put everything you do before God first for we are fragile and temporary in this world.

If you are rich and have defrauded people of their fair wages or rewards, be assured that God knows. It is as bad as being part of the crowd who had Jesus killed.

Collect for Evening Prayer

Leaping in
Busselton Pier WA
L Osburn

Holy God you are our future, our judge, our saviour and redeemer. You bless us and you support us. Give us the faith to hand our concerns, anxieties, plans and hopes over to you so that we may step out in faith and hope and love knowing that what comes is indeed for us and for our salvation through Jesus Christ our Lord and Saviour. Amen.

Please leave a comment or feedback.