19 May 2016

Collects

Prayers developed from the daily readings 

Thursday 19 May 2016

Morning Prayer

Psalm 45

This is an ode to a king’s wedding full of praise and descriptions of beauty, strength and wealth.

1 Chronicles 16: 7 – 36

David establishes the singing of praises to God and appoints people to that task. Then follows a composite of psalms to make up a great song of uplifting praise to God.

Acts 2: 37 – 47

The people who hear Peter’s speech at Pentecost feel dreadful and ask Peter what should they do. He answers, “repent… be baptised in the name of Jesus Christ… receive the gift of the Holy Spirit” (v. 38).  Three thousand people repent and are baptised. The apostles do great wonders and people form a community, share meals and their belongings, go to the temple, pray, support each other and praise God.

Collect for Morning Prayer

The black swan
Mandurah Estuary WA  L Osburn

Wonderful God, you are worthy of all praise and thanksgiving. From deep within our hearts we give you thanks and praise for all the blessings we have in our lives. Keep your song in our hearts today so that whatever we encounter we know you are with us with your great and mighty power and love through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord. Amen.

Thursday 19 May 2016

Evening Prayer

Psalms 46 and 47

God is our strength and refuge and we are to be in awe of him: to be still and know that God is God.

The second psalm is a joyous song of praise beginning with clapping our hands. Our God is awesome ruler of everything, shielding us. God is to be exalted.

Ruth 3

Naomi, Ruth’s mother-in-law needs to ensure Ruth’s security. As a widow, a kinsman should become her husband and care for her. Naomi instructs Ruth to go to the threshing floor where Boaz will be working, eating and sleeping. She instructs Ruth to wait until he is asleep then sleeps at his feet. When he wakes, Ruth tells him that she believes him to be the nearest kinsman. Boaz recognises that she is an honourable woman and following the traditions, not running after younger or richer men. Boaz thinks that there might be someone else who is a nearer kinsman. Before dawn, Ruth leaves thus protecting Boaz and her own reputation.

Ruth returns to Naomi. Boaz goes to the city. Naomi reassures Ruth that Boaz will sort things out for her immediately.

1 Corinthians 15: 35 – 50

Paul, continues with his discussion of resurrection. When we plant a seed it dies and a new plant emerges that looks nothing like the seed. Every creature on the planet has it’s own shape as do all the heavenly bodies – sun, moon and stars, none of them look like the “seed” that began them.

With the resurrection of the dead, what dies is our perishable body and what is raised is our imperishable, spiritual body.

The first man, Adam was born of dust and we have his likeness. The last man is born of the spirit and we have that likeness too. Flesh and blood cannot inherit heaven because it is perishable. The imperishable inherits the eternal.

Collect for Evening Prayer

Flower in the rough
Rutherglen Vic L Osburn

Nurturing and loving God, you protect and feed us as we grow in love and faith. Help us this evening, to see the new shoots of faith and new flowerings of the spirit in ourselves and in those around us, so that we can sit in awe and wonder and praise you through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord and your Holy Spirit. Amen.

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