22 February 2016

Collects

Prayers developed from the daily readings 

Monday 22 February 2016

Morning Prayer

Psalm 118: 1 – 18

Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his steadfast love endures forever! The remainder of the psalm tells of God’s assistance and reminds us to put our trust not in people or rulers, but God alone.

Jeremiah 29: 1 – 19 (20 – 23)

Jeremiah sends a letter to the exiles in Babylon. He proclaims that God said to him to tell them to make solid and normal lives, get married, have children, build their future and care for the city and its peoples. He says not to listen to anyone in Babylon who claims to be a prophet because they are false. It will be 70 years before anyone returns. Those who pray to God in Babylon will be heard. Meanwhile the people left behind in Judah will suffer pestilence, violence and famine because they did not heed God.

Luke 12: 49 – 59

Jesus talks about the baptism he is about to endure. He talks too about the crisis his life brings – in the sense of making a choice that will change our lives: for many a passionate choice. Families will divide. And that we can all read that the weather is about to change and act appropriately, but we are blind to the urgent need to make ultimate choices and take the risk and choose God as the central concern of our lives.

Collect for Morning Prayer

A bridge to cross
Gladstone Qld  L Osburn

God of all, God of the ages what can we say of you? Psalmist, prophets your own son tell us to choose you, to trust in you, to live our lives with you. Give us strength and courage today to make the choices we need to live our lives to your praise and glory through Jesus Christ our Lord and your Holy Spirit. Amen.

Monday 22 February 2016

Evening Prayer

Psalms 118: 19 – 29 and 120

The psalm section brims with sweet praise to God. The rejected one has become the cornerstone. “This is the Lord’s doing; it is marvellous in our eyes. This is the day that the Lord has made: let us rejoice and be glad in it” (vv. 23-24). The one who comes in God’s name is blessed. God’s love endures forever.

The second psalm is a cry of distress from a person in exile far from Israel surrounded by warrior people, “I am for peace; but when I speak, they are for war” (v.7).

Genesis 43: 1 – 15

In Canaan the grain is about to run out and Jacob still questions why the Egyptian knows so much about them to demand the other brother. Judah promises to protect Benjamin. Jacob takes the risk and says, “As for me, if I am bereaved of my children, I am bereaved” (v 14). They begin their journey back to Egypt with the money that had been put in their sacks, double the asking price for grain, fruits of the land: honey nuts and resin.

Hebrews 7: 11 – 25

Jesus is the eternal priest available to save those who approach God through him (v 25). He has been appointed forever and represents a new and better covenant with God.

Collect for Evening Prayer

Tall ship - to Australia
Fremantle WA  L Osburn

Loving, generous and gracious God, in the form of Jesus Christ you came to us. In scripture you show us that we need to take the risk and you demonstrated; you are the physical evidence of what “risk everything,” means. Help us to praise and honour you all the days of our lives in everything we do through Jesus Christ and the power of your Holy Spirit in our hearts. Amen.

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