It took a year to read the Bible, then almost 9 months to read the Apocrypha. Now, I'm going to try to offer reflections on the Narrative Lectionary. But, I won't be posting daily--at least, for a while.

Monday, December 30, 2013

Daily Prayer, Monday, December 30, 2013

Deliver us when we call.
Have pity on us.
Save us.
Redeem us.

(after Psalm 72:12-13).


Morning
Invitatory Psalm 95
O come, let us sing to the Lord;
let us make a joyful noise
   to the rock of our salvation!
Let us come into his presence
   with thanksgiving;
let us make a joyful noise to him
   with songs of praise!

For the Lord is a great God,
   and a great King above all gods.
In his hand are the depths of the earth;
the heights of the mountains are his also.
The sea is his, for he made it,
   and the dry land,
   which his hands have formed.

O come, let us worship and bow down,
let us kneel before the Lord, our Maker!
For he is our God,
   and we are the people of his pasture,
   and the sheep of his hand.
O that today you would listen to his voice!
….

Psalm 34
I will bless the Lord at all times;
   your praise shall continually be in my mouth.

My soul makes its boast in the Lord;
   let the humble hear and be glad.

O magnify the Lord with me...
I sought you, O Lord, and you answered me,
and delivered me from all my fears.
...

O taste and see that the Lord is good;
   happy are those who take refuge in you.
...
Come, O children, listen to me;
I will teach you the fear of the Lord.
Which of you desires life,
   and covets many days to enjoy good?

Keep your tongue from evil,
 and your lips from speaking deceit.
Depart from evil, and do good;
seek peace, and pursue it.
….
The Lord is near to the brokenhearted,
   and saves the crushed in spirit.
….
The Lord redeems the life of his servants;
none of those who take refuge in him will be condemned.

Daily Lectionary Reading, Matthew 25:31-46
31 “Now when the Human One comes in his majesty and all his angels are with him, he will sit on his majestic throne. 32 All the nations will be gathered in front of him. He will separate them from each other, just as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33 He will put the sheep on his right side. But the goats he will put on his left. 34 “Then the king will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who will receive good things from my Father. Inherit the kingdom that was prepared for you before the world began. 35 I was hungry and you gave me food to eat. I was thirsty and you gave me a drink. I was a stranger and you welcomed me. 36 I was naked and you gave me clothes to wear. I was sick and you took care of me. I was in prison and you visited me.’ 37 “Then those who are righteous will reply to him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you a drink? 38 When did we see you as a stranger and welcome you, or naked and give you clothes to wear? 39 When did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ 40 “Then the king will reply to them, ‘I assure you that when you have done it for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you have done it for me.’ 41 “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Get away from me, you who will receive terrible things. Go into the unending fire that has been prepared for the devil and his angels. 42 I was hungry and you didn’t give me food to eat. I was thirsty and you didn’t give me anything to drink. 43 I was a stranger and you didn’t welcome me. I was naked and you didn’t give me clothes to wear. I was sick and in prison, and you didn’t visit me.’ 44 “Then they will reply, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison and didn’t do anything to help you?’ 45 Then he will answer, ‘I assure you that when you haven’t done it for one of the least of these, you haven’t done it for me.’ 46 And they will go away into eternal punishment. But the righteous ones will go into eternal life.”
[Common English Lectionary]

Prayer for Today: O Lord when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger naked or sick or in prison and didn't do anything to help you? We ask you now to forgive us and forever to inspire us to do your will. Amen.

Midday Psalm 119:41-48
Let your steadfast love come to me, O Lord,
   your salvation according to your promise.
Then I shall have an answer for those who taunt me,
   for I trust in your word.
Do not take the word of truth utterly out of my mouth,
   for my hope is in your ordinances.
I will keep your law continually, forever and ever.
I shall walk at liberty,
   for I have sought your precepts.
I will also speak of your decrees before kings,
   and shall not be put to shame;
I find my delight in your commandments,
   because I love them.
I revere your commandments, which I love,
   and I will meditate on your statutes.

Evening
Psalm 46
God is our refuge and strength,
   a very present help in trouble.
Therefore we will not fear,
   though the earth should change,
   though the mountains shake in the heart of the sea;
   though its waters roar and foam,
   though the mountains tremble with its tumult. Selah

There is a river whose streams
   make glad the city of God,
   the holy habitation of the Most High.
God is in the midst of the city;
it shall not be moved;
….
“Be still, and know that I am God!
I am exalted among the nations,
I am exalted in the earth.”
The Lord of hosts is with us;
the God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah

Psalm 48
Great is the Lord and greatly to be praised
   in the city of our God.
His holy mountain, beautiful in elevation,
 ….
We ponder your steadfast love, O God,
   in the midst of your temple.
Your name, O God, like your praise,
   reaches to the ends of the earth.
Your right hand is filled with victory.
Let Mount Zion be glad,
let the towns of Judah rejoice
   because of your judgments.
Walk about Zion, go all around it,
count its towers, consider well its ramparts;
go through its citadels,
   that you may tell the next generation
        that this is God,
        our God forever and ever.
He will be our guide forever.

Psalm 49
Hear this, all you peoples;
give ear, all inhabitants of the world,
   both low and high,
   rich and poor together.
My mouth shall speak wisdom;
the meditation of my heart shall be understanding.
….

Do not be afraid when some become rich,
   when the wealth of their houses increases.
For when they die they will carry nothing away;
their wealth will not go down after them.
Though in their lifetime they count themselves happy
   —for you are praised when you do well for yourself—
they will go to the company of their ancestors,
   who will never again see the light.
Mortals cannot abide in their pomp;
they are like the animals that perish.

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