16 November 2016
Collects
Prayers
developed from the daily readings
Wednesday 16
November 2016
Morning
Prayer
Psalm 38
The psalmist is dreadfully ill, so much so that
friends stand a bit further away and people who seek harm spread rumours. The
psalmist stays quiet, trusting God, praying and asking for God’s salvation.
Zechariah 10: 6 – 11: 3
Both Israel and Judah will be saved and redeemed
from Assyria and Egyptian control. The people will go through the sea of
distress but its waves will abate. The tyrants around: Lebanon, Bashan and the
Thickets of Jordan shall lose their power.
Matthew 25: 14 – 30
The kingdom of heaven is as if
a man gives varying amounts of resources to his slaves in the proportion 5, 2
and 1. The one with 5 traded and made 5 more. The one with 2 traded and made 2
more. The one with 1 buried it. On return the man returns and settles accounts
with the slaves. Those who increased the resources are praised and put in
control of many things. The one who buried explains that he knows the man
profits from things he doesn’t do so kept the resource safe and hands it back
in full. The man becomes angry calling the slave lazy and wicked. At least he
could have handed the resource to someone and gained interest. The resource the
slave had is given to the one who has 5 portions.
For those who have something
more will be given and those who have nothing even that will be taken and the
worthless one will be cast out into darkness where there will be weeping and
distress.
Collect for Morning Prayer
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| Briefing before tall-ship training Busselton WA L Osburn |
Wednesday 16
November 2016
Evening
Prayer
Psalm 39
The psalmist is mortally ill and perceives his
illness to be punishment from God. He decides to be calm and quiet in the
presence of people who would bring him more grief. He asks to know how much
time he has left. Humans are like passing guests, aliens. The psalmist asks for
a little relief so that he can smile before he dies.
Wisdom 6: 1 – 16
The kings and rulers of nations are warned that
their rule, whether they acknowledge it or not, is given by God and under God’s
watch. So, if they fail to be lawful and rule according to God’s purpose there
will be a consequence for them – a more strict inquiry will be make of those
who rule so they are wise to learn wisdom and observe holy things for their defense.
And wisdom can be found quietly. Those who rise
early and seek her out easily discern her finding understanding in every
thought.
Revelation 8
“When the Lamb opened the seventh seal there was
silence in heaven for about half an hour” (v.1). The angels are given 7
trumpets, censers of incense and the prayers of the entire saints rise. The
fire in the censers is thrown on earth resulting in thunder and lightning. At
the first trumpet a hail of fire and blood burns up 1/3 of the world. At the
second, something like a great mountain of fire falls into the sea. At the
third, a star falls from heaven and makes the water poisonous and bitter. At
the fourth, the sun moon and stars are hit and their lights dull. An eagle
cries “Woe, woe, woe, to the inhabitants of earth” (v. 13) prefacing the blasts
that the last three angels will blow.
Collect for Evening Prayer
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| How much more are we cared for? 2000 year old Thrombolites WA L Osburn |
God
of power and might beyond our understanding and yet grace and gentleness beyond
measure. Help us this night to consider the worries and troubles that assail us
and to tell those concerns how great our God is. In the morning Lord, help us
to seek your wisdom so we gain understanding and are guided to do your will and
bring your peace to earth through Jesus Christ our Lord and Saviour. Amen.
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