Thursday Morning Prayer – 4th January 2024. Readings: Psalm 11, 12; Isaiah 66. 1-9; Ephesians 3.1-13

Led by Felicity Scott, Liturgical Assistant at St John the Baptist Anglican Church Bulimba, QLD, Australia.

The full prayer transcript is available by going to this episode on the Podcast website.

https://dailyprayeranglicanprayerbookforaustralia.podbean.com

Welcome to Thursday Morning prayer from the Anglican ‘A prayer book for Australia’.

We proclaim the Good News of our Lord Jesus Christ:

GOD in his infinite mercy, forgives all sins, and through our baptism in the name of our Saviour, Jesus Christ, we are given a rebirth into new life, free from the burden of all sin. ALLELUIA

Blessed be God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, Blessed be God forever.

Let us Pray.

1

This is the message we have heard from Christ:

That God is light, in whom there is no darkness at all.

Glory to God; Father, Son and Holy Spirit: 

as in the beginning, so now, and for ever. Amen. 

2 The Opening Canticle, A Song of God’s Grace

Go up to a high mountain

Herald of good tidings to Zion:

Lift up your voice with strength,

Herald of good tidings to Jerusalem.

Lift up your voice, fear not:

Say to the cities of Judah, ‘Behold your God!’

See the Lord God coming with power:

Coming to rule with his mighty arm.

He brings his reward for the people of God:

the recompense for those who are saved.

God will feed his flock like a shepherd:

And gather the lambs in his arms;

He will hold them to his breast:

And gently lead those that are with young.

Isaiah 40.9-11  

3 The Opening Prayer

The night has now passed and the day lies open before us; 

let us pray with one heart and mind. 

Silence may be kept.

As we rejoice in the gift of this new day, 

so may the light of your presence, O God, 

set our hearts on fire with love for you; 

now and for ever. 

Amen.

4 The Psalms as appointed. A pause is observed after each.

Psalm 11; 12

11

1 In the Lord I have found my refuge:

how then can you say to me

‘Flee like a bird to the mountains;

2 ‘Look how the wicked make ready the bow,

and notch their arrows upon the string:

to shoot from the darkness at the true of heart;

3 ‘If the foundations are destroyed:

what can the righteous do?’

4 The Lord is in his holy place,

the Lord is enthroned in heaven:

his eyes search out, his glance tries the children of Adam.

5 He tries the righteous and the wicked:

and those that delight in violence his soul abhors.

6 He will rain down coals of fire and brimstone

upon the wicked:

a scorching wind shall be their cup to drink.

7 For the Lord is righteous and loves righteous acts:

the upright shall see his face.

12

1 Help, Lord, for there is not one godly person left:

the faithful have vanished from among

the children of Adam.

2 Everyone tells lies to their neighbour:

they flatter with their lips,

but speak from a double heart.

3 If only the Lord would cut off all flattering lips:

and the tongue that speaks so proudly!

4 They say ‘By our tongues we shall prevail:

our lips are our servants—who is lord over us?’

5 Because of the oppression of the poor,

because of the groaning of the needy:

‘I will arise’, says the Lord,

‘and set them in safety from those that

snarl after them.’

6 The words of the Lord are pure,

as silver refined in a crucible:

as gold that is seven times purified in the fire.

7 You will surely guard us, O Lord:

and shield us for ever from this evil generation,

8 Though the ungodly strut on every side:

though the vilest lord it over the children of Adam.

5 At the end of the (last) pause there may follow

Almighty God, who wonderfully created us in your own image and yet more wonderfully restored us in your son Jesus Christ: grant that as he came to share our human nature so we may be partakers in his divine glory; who is alive and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God now and forever. 

Amen.

6 One or two Readings from the Bible as appointed.

1st Reading

Isaiah 66.1-9

1 Thus says the Lord :

Heaven is my throne

     and the earth is my footstool;

what is the house that you would build for me,

     and what is my resting-place? 

2 All these things my hand has made,

     and so all these things are mine, 



says the Lord .

But this is the one to whom I will look,

     to the humble and contrite in spirit,

     who trembles at my word. 

3 Whoever slaughters an ox is like one who kills a human being;

     whoever sacrifices a lamb, like one who breaks a dog’s neck;

whoever presents a grain-offering, like one who offers swine’s blood;

     whoever makes a memorial offering of frankincense, like one who blesses an idol.

These have chosen their own ways,

     and in their abominations they take delight; 

4 I also will choose to mock them,

     and bring upon them what they fear;

because, when I called, no one answered,

     when I spoke, they did not listen;

but they did what was evil in my sight,

     and chose what did not please me. 

5 Hear the word of the Lord ,

     you who tremble at his word:

Your own people who hate you

     and reject you for my name’s sake

have said, ‘Let the Lord be glorified,

     so that we may see your joy’;

     but it is they who shall be put to shame. 

6 Listen, an uproar from the city!

     A voice from the temple!

The voice of the Lord ,

     dealing retribution to his enemies! 

7 Before she was in labour

     she gave birth;

before her pain came upon her

     she delivered a son. 

8 Who has heard of such a thing?

     Who has seen such things?

Shall a land be born in one day?

     Shall a nation be delivered in one moment?

Yet as soon as Zion was in labour

     she delivered her children. 

9 Shall I open the womb and not deliver?

     says the Lord ;

shall I, the one who delivers, shut the womb?

     says your God. 

2nd Reading

Ephesians 3.1-13

1 This is the reason that I Paul am a prisoner for Christ Jesus for the sake of you Gentiles— 2 for surely you have already heard of the commission of God’s grace that was given to me for you, 3 and how the mystery was made known to me by revelation, as I wrote above in a few words, 4 a reading of which will enable you to perceive my understanding of the mystery of Christ. 5 In former generations this mystery was not made known to humankind, as it has now been revealed to his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit: 6 that is, the Gentile