29 November 2016
Collects
Prayers
developed from the daily readings
Tuesday 29 November 2016
Morning
Prayer
Psalm 69: 1 – 16
This psalmist is a lowly servant of the Lord and through zeal has done
something that causes him to be the butt of jokes and ridicule. The psalmist is
fasting and in sackcloth. He pleads for deliverance and praises God.
Isaiah 2: [1 – 5] and 6 - 18
An age of peace will come and people will stream to know the Lord. The
word of the Lord will come out of Jerusalem, there will be judgment and war
shall cease. Isaiah turns to the people of Jacob who are following idols. They
may be rich and powerful now with powerful international allies but all this
will pass away. They will be humbled and the idols shall utterly pass away.
Mark 4: 21 – 41
Jesus tells parables to assist people to understand “the Kingdom of God”.
First we won’t know how it happens but we will see the results just as we plant
seed, water it and a plant grows which we then harvest. Second its coming is
like the mustard bush it can start from a tiny seed but provide much for many.
Jesus says to the disciples, “Let us go across to the other side”. They
cross in a boat. Jesus sleeps soundly. A storm comes up and the disciples fear
the boat will be swamped. They wake Jesus and accuse him of not caring. He
tells the wind and sea to cease and calm immediately occurs. Jesus asks the disciples
why they were afraid and “Have you still no faith?” (v.40). The disciples
filled with awe wonder who is Jesus that the wind and sea obey him?
Collect for
Morning Prayer
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Tuesday 29 November 2016
Evening
Prayer
Psalms 69: 17 – 23 (24 – 30) 31 – 38
The psalmist praises the Lord and is suffering from insults and dishonour.
When he goes for counsel and support the response is bitter, and heart-breaking
– no real compassion. The psalmist is very angry, he wants God’s wrath to
destroy and punish, but he leaves that anger with and for God. The psalmist
praises God, who unlike a God in the form of a bull, will listen. The psalmist
ends in praise and a plea to God to come quickly.
Isaiah 40: 18 – 31
God makes miraculous changes in the landscape: rivers in bare heights,
fountains in valleys, pools and springs in the wilderness, trees in the desert.
The challenge is now to the gods of other nations to prophesy the future –
there is no case to bring, the other gods are nothing. God has stirred up
someone to take over the country. God looks in Jerusalem for someone to tell
but there is no one to hear since all are busy worshipping other gods.
1 Thessalonians 2: 1
- 12
Paul reminds the
Thessalonians that he and his companions had the courage to bring the gospel to
them even though they had been treated badly in Philippi. He asks them to
remember their experience of his honesty and integrity and that he worked at
his own trade to pay his own way. Each person who Paul and his companions dealt
with were treated with respect and encouraged to live a godly life.
Collect for
Evening Prayer
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God
of miraculous changes in the physical and political realms, be with us whether
we have made errors, are suffering insults and/or leading communities of faith.
Show us that our anger and resentment are signs of looking to false gods and
idols that will bring us only heartache and nothing of value, so that we like
Paul have the courage to do what we can, do the jobs we have been given, treat
all people with respect, leave all punishment to You, praise you without
ceasing and by our lives encourage others to lead a godly life through the
power of your Holy Spirit and Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen
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