3 May 2016

Collects

Prayers developed from the daily readings 

Tuesday 3 May 2016

Morning Prayer

Psalm 9

This psalm is a song of thanks and praise for the demise of past enemies and the eternal presence of God. The Lord is the security for oppressed people and that means individuals too. The psalmist moves to a prayer for individual help. The psalm ends asking God to “let the nations know that they are only human” (v.20).

Numbers 20: 22 – 21: 9

Moses takes Aaron and his son Eleazar up Mount Hor. Aaron’s vestments are removed and placed on Eleazar to now make him Chief Priest. Aaron dies on the mountain and is mourned.

A Canaanite king of Arad attacks the Israelites and takes some of them captive. The people pray and then retaliate and utterly destroy the Canaanites and their towns in a place which they called Hormah.

They journey on towards the Red Sea to avoid Edom. The people complain. Deadly serpents bite the people and many die. The people repent and Moses prays. He is told to make a brass serpent, put it on a stick and anyone who is bitten may look at the brass serpent and be healed. Moses lifts up the serpent in the wilderness and the serpent’s deadly sting leaves those bitten.

John 14: 18 – 31 

Jesus tells the disciples that he is leaving and going to the Father and that he is alive and in the disciples and they in him. God will love those who keep Jesus’s commandments and Jesus will be revealed to them. God with Christ will make their home in them.

The Advocate, the Holy Spirit will teach us and remind us what Jesus said. Jesus gives his peace and reassures the disciples “Do not let your hearts be troubled” (v. 27). If the disciples loved Jesus they would rejoice that he is going to the Father.

“Rise. Let us be on our way” (v. 31).

Collect for Morning Prayer

Up and on the way
Gladstone Qld  L Osburn

Holy, Magnificent and eternal God, no power of humans, nations or death can leave a sting or a toxin when you are with us. Instead you give us the capacity to sing praise and glory and the gift of your Holy Sprit. Remind us when we start to worry about enemies or oppressors and we complain, to stop and to come to you. Help us see how limited is our view of things. Help us begin to understand that the nations are only human, victory is yours even over death and that we, your disciples, will be alive in Christ and Christ in us so that we can rise, can be lifted up by you and take away the sting for others as we go on the way you have set through Jesus Christ our saviour redeemer and friend. Amen.

Tuesday 3 May 2016

Evening Prayer

Psalm 10

The psalm begins describing how arrogant wicked people are: how they think God does not see them and that they can get away with anything. But God does see. God will hear the meek and give them strength and provide justice for the orphan and oppressed so that people on earth will “strike terror no more” (v.18).

Exodus 40: 17 – 38

Moses sets up the tabernacle and all the things in it precisely. A cloud settles over the tabernacle indicating God’s presence with the people. While the cloud rests the people stop and when it lifts they travel. At night the cloud glows with fire.

1 Corinthians 10: 12 – 22

Paul warns that if we think we are good and upright be aware that we do not fall. Everyone is tested and God provides us with ways out so that we can be sustained.

So, he says, flee from worshipping idols. Our ritual of communion means we share in Christ’s body and blood through the wine and bread. Through that, we unite and are made one.

What idol worshippers sacrifice and eat is not to God so we cannot be part of those ceremonies else we risk breaking the first commandment.

Collect for Evening Prayer

River red gums supporting each other
Edward River Deniliquin NSW
L Osburn

Great protector and companion, you keep us, strengthen us and sustain us. You only ask that we love you above all, love others as ourselves, and have a humble and contrite heart. As we reflect on today, help us see the moments you stood beside us and the moments you stood before us and protected us, so that we may more fully give you thanks and praise through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord and the power of your Holy Spirit. Amen.

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