9 November 2016
Collects
Prayers
developed from the daily readings
Wednesday 9
November 2016
Morning
Prayer
Psalm 22: 1 – 22
This portion of the psalm
is a solemn prayer for deliverance from a dreadful illness. It is an illness
that has detractors circling the psalmist. The psalmist feels alone and
separated from God but is reminded of all the times God was there in the past
for the Israelites. The psalmist is humble, asks to be saved not just from the
illness but also from any temptation.
Jonah
3
God
instructs Jonah a second time to go to Nineveh and proclaim his word. Jonah
goes. Nineveh is so large it takes three days to walk across. On the first day
Jonah calls out “Forty days and Nineveh will be overthrown!” The people
believe, put on sackcloth and ashes and repent. The king hears, does the same
and proclaims a fast. God seeing their response decides not to destroy the
city.
Matthew
23: 16 – 28
Jesus
indicts the Pharisees who have confused themselves and others and by the
confusion are making it harder for people to get to God. The gold artefacts in
the sanctuary are not what make the place holy or an oath real. The sanctuary
does that. Similarly the gift on the altar isn’t as important as the altar it
is on. It is the altar, the sanctuary and God’s throne, heaven: the place God
dwells, and more importantly God’s dwelling there, that makes the oath real.
Equally
the Pharisees tithe stuff – herbs and spices – but forget to tithe justice,
mercy and faith. Jesus accuses them of straining a gnat but swallowing a camel.
He demands we clean up our inner life before worrying about outward
appearances.
Collect for Morning Prayer
The Road Ahead Berrigan NSW L Osburn |
Almighty
creator, ever living God you know our span of life is but a breath. You want us
– the humble, the faithful the godless and the confused – to take the
opportunity we have to listen, take stock and clean up our inner lives. Help us
this day to notice any sneaky idol worship:
seeing your power in things or processes rather than in you. Help us to
notice when we forget to tithe justice, mercy and faith. In your steadfast love
help us switch our focus back to you so that we may respond to your call just
as the people of Nineveh heard and responded through Jesus
Christ Your Son our Lord and Your Holy Spirit in our hearts. Amen.
Wednesday 9
November 2016
Evening
Prayer
Psalms 22: 23 – 32 and 23
The second section of the
psalm, calls for all people who respect and honour God to give praise, glorify
and stand in awe! God has delivered the psalmist from deadly illness and this
evidence shows that all God’s promises are secure. The Lord rules in all places
and future generations will continue God’s praise.
This is the well-known 23rd
Psalm. The Lord is compared to a shepherd who makes sure the sheep are well
pastured, have clean water, are at peace and have nothing to fear. God makes us
holy (anoints us) and gives us good things our whole life long even in the
valley of the shadow of death and in the presence of enemies.
Wisdom
1: 1 – 15
We
are to love righteousness and seek God sincerely. God is not found by people
who put God to the test “wisdom will not enter a deceitful soul or dwell in a
body enslaved to sin. For a holy and disciplined spirit will flee from deceit
and leave foolish thoughts behind” (vv. 4 -5).
God
hears our words and observes our hearts – we will not escape notice. So we need
to beware of useless grumbling, or lying, or inviting death by the way we live
our lives or the things we do with our hands. God doesn’t delight in death of
living things. Righteousness is undying.
Revelation 3: 14 – 22
John is to write to the church in
Laodicea. Jesus knows their works and they are lukewarm. Jesus prefers them to
be either cold or hot. Because they are lukewarm they are about to be rejected
by Jesus. The people say, “I am rich, I have prospered, I need nothing” (v.17).
Really they are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind and naked. Jesus wants them to
repent and spend their resources on that. Jesus is standing at their door
knocking. Will they let Jesus in to eat and drink with them? If they conquer,
they will have a place with Christ in God’s kingdom.
Collect for Evening Prayer
Sunset Boomanoomana NSW L Osburn |
Holy God you want us to be in
relationship with you eternally. Help us this night to search our hearts and
turn them to you so that Jesus may come and eat with us and that your Holy
Spirit finds our souls free from deceit, our bodies cleared of sin and can
dwell in our hearts through Jesus Christ our Lord and Saviour. Amen.
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