10 November 2016

Collects

Prayers developed from the daily readings 

Thursday 10 November 2016

Morning Prayer

Psalm 25

This psalm is a plea for protection from personal enemies. The psalmist asks for guidance and forgiveness and to be taught God’s way and truth. God is asked to guard our lives, deliver us, allow us to have refuge and for our integrity and righteousness to preserve us.

Jonah 4

Jonah, angry with God says basically, “I knew it! I knew in your mercy you would not harm them.” This enables him to excuse his disobedient act of going to Tarshish. He goes out of the city and builds himself a booth to see what happens. God makes a vine grow overnight which gives Jonah extra shade and for which Jonah is grateful. The next day a worm eats and kills the vine. Jonah is so hot he begs to die. God asks him whether he is justified in being angry about a vine (one he didn’t even grow himself) and Jonah says, “Yes, angry enough to die” (v.9). So God compares the number of people in Nineveh, who are saved to the vine and asks, “And should I not be concerned about Nineveh?” (v.11).

Matthew 23: 29 – 39

Jesus indicts those Pharisees who venerate the prophets and claim that if they had been alive they would not have killed or harmed those prophets. Jesus says that he will send more prophets, sages and scribes, who they will kill, crucify, flog in their synagogues and harry from town to town. More guilt will come on them as a result. Jesus laments over Jerusalem and says how often he wanted to gather up the people like a chicken gathers her brood under her wings for protection. But they are not willing. They will not see Jesus again until they can say, “Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord” (v. 39).

Collect for Morning Prayer

Double daffodil
Harrietville Vic  L Osburn

Holy and gracious Lord you care for everyone and you wait patiently for us all to get that message and turn to you. Today, help us to hold on to and meditate on “say to my soul I am your salvation”. So that in all the challenges we confront we will be guided to do your will in those moments so that others may experience the comfort of your grace through Jesus Christ Your Son our Lord and Your Holy Spirit in our hearts. Amen.

Thursday 10 November 2016

Evening Prayer

Psalm 27

“The Lord is my light and salvation: whom shall I fear?”  The psalmist seeks God’s face, God’s teaching and God’s level path and ends with, “Wait for the Lord: be strong and let your heart take courage: wait for the Lord.”

Wisdom 1: 16 – 2: 11

Here the ungodly and their reasoning are explored. Life to them is short and sorrowful. When it is over it is over. For them, being born is a chance and once people are dead we are gone and forgotten. A life of happiness is pursued – enjoying the world like children, filling up with costly wine, using costly perfumes, not missing a spring flower, rosebuds, parties and thinking this is their due. As a result the righteous poor, the widowed and aged are oppressed. The law of might is the law of right and the weak are counted as useless.

Revelation 4

John has a vision where he his taken up in the spirit to a throne with one seated on it and he describes the details around. 24 elders worshipping, 4 creatures with eyes seeing all, lamp stands and a crystal sea. Without ceasing the creatures sing “Holy, holy, holy, the Lord God the Almighty, who was and is and is to come” (v.8). All around sing a response.

Collect for Evening Prayer

New Buds
Harrietville Vic  L Osburn

Holy and magnificent God, your love for us and promise for us is eternal. You give us the world to delight in and more, you give us light and insight to care for others, for in those moments of loving you and loving them are the riches better than fine, fine gold. Make our lives over in your service and the service of others so that our short lives are packed with joy and love and worship for you holy Lord, holy and mighty, holy and eternal through Jesus Christ our Lord and Saviour. Amen.