20 September 2016

Collects

Prayers developed from the daily readings 

Tuesday 20 September 2016

Morning Prayer

Psalm 48

This psalm praises Mt Zion City of God its walls and grandeur. Moreover, it is the place where God can be found and kings approaching fall and fail once they recognise God dwells here. In the temple the people ponder God’s steadfast love and praise God’s name throughout the earth. The psalmist tells us to come to the holy city, walk around; go into the citadels so that we can tell our children and their children that this God, our God will be our guide forever.

Nahum 2: 10 – 3: 7

Nahum continues detailing the sacking of Nineveh and the cutting off of all power to the Assyrian Empire. The city followed other gods, sorceresses and debauchery. It will be shamed and humiliated in its destruction. There is no one to comfort Nineveh.

Matthew 6: 25 – 7: 5

Jesus talks about priorities, about putting God at the centre of our lives and seeking God first. Those who seek other gods are really seeking their material well-being and prosperity. God values us. And we are to trust God and show that we do by: not worrying about tomorrow and heaping those concerns on to of the concerns of today and, by not judging others – for we know that how we judge is how we will be judged by God.

Collect for Morning Prayer

Miss Molly seeking in the garden
Harrietville Vic L Osburn

Holy Lord maker of all things seen and unseen, you love us and provide for us yet we let in fears and concerns focusing first on them and not on you. Help us today to realign ourselves to you: to seek you first. Help us too with all the tasks we have today, to do them in faith, to work with others on our tasks without judgement so that our lives show to others that point of difference, which is our trust in you and your great love for us through Jesus Christ who died for us. Amen.

Tuesday 20 September 2016

Evening Prayer

Psalms 49

This is a riddle psalm / song.

Bow down everyone everywhere. Why should we worry about persecutors, the wealthy? No one can live forever. The wise and foolish die too. All possessions are left to others. Mortals can’t abide all the pomp of life – we will die. Those who are pleased with their lot will die. But God will ransom my soul and receive me.

Don’t be afraid when someone becomes richer and they are happy in their life. They and they ancestors will be gone. Mortals can’t abide all the pomp of life – we will die.

2 Maccabees 7: 20 – 41

The mother has seen her seven sons abominably tortured and killed in one day. The King proposes to her last remaining son to deny his faith for the reward of a fine position, wealth and power. The King appeals to the mother to counsel her son. She does so, quietly in her dialect telling her son to consider creation and the greatness of God. The son defies the King saying the people are suffering for their sins at the King’s hand but God will be reconciled with the people. The King, through his arrogance will never be reconciled to God. The King becomes enraged, has the son tortured and killed and kills the mother too.

Ephesians 4: 29 – 5: 5

Speak in ways that build each other up, not tear down. Put away all resentment and anger about the past. There is to be no wrangling, slander or malice instead we are to be tender hearted. Since God has forgiven us we are to live in love. Obscene, silly and vulgar talk is out of place and greed is unacceptable.

Collect for Evening Prayer

Home-made chocolate tart: generosity
Harrietville Vic  L Osburn

Holy God you want us to be in community with each other and relationship with you. You know the political realities of our world, our organisations and our families. As we reflect on our day help us see the times where we chose to build others up, to speak and live in love and show ourselves to be tender hearted and generous so that we by that knowledge can be strengthened to do the same and more tomorrow building your church through Jesus Christ our Lord and your Holy Spirit in our hearts. Amen.