Tuesday 18 December 2007 DAILY LECTIONARY

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Tuesday 18 December 2007 
DAILY LECTIONARY

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Zechariah 2:1-13

I looked up and saw a man with a measuring line in his hand. 2Then I
asked, 'Where are you going?' He answered me, 'To measure Jerusalem, to
see what is its width and what is its length.' 3Then the angel who
talked with me came forward, and another angel came forward to meet him,
4and said to him, 'Run, say to that young man: Jerusalem shall be
inhabited like villages without walls, because of the multitude of
people and animals in it. 5For I will be a wall of fire all round it,
says the Lord, and I will be the glory within it.' 
Interlude: An Appeal to the Exiles6 Up, up! Flee from the land of the
north, says the Lord; for I have spread you abroad like the four winds
of heaven, says the Lord. 7Up! Escape to Zion, you that live with
daughter Babylon. 8For thus said the Lord of hosts (after his glory*
sent me) regarding the nations that plundered you: Truly, one who
touches you touches the apple of my eye.* 9See now, I am going to raise*
my hand against them, and they shall become plunder for their own
slaves. Then you will know that the Lord of hosts has sent me. 10Sing
and rejoice, O daughter Zion! For lo, I will come and dwell in your
midst, says the Lord. 11Many nations shall join themselves to the Lord
on that day, and shall be my people; and I will dwell in your midst. And
you shall know that the Lord of hosts has sent me to you. 12The Lord
will inherit Judah as his portion in the holy land, and will again
choose Jerusalem. 
13 Be silent, all people, before the Lord; for he has roused himself
from his holy dwelling.
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Revelation 3:14-22

'And to the angel of the church in Laodicea write: The words of the
Amen, the faithful and true witness, the origin* of God's creation: 
15 'I know your works; you are neither cold nor hot. I wish that you
were either cold or hot. 16So, because you are lukewarm, and neither
cold nor hot, I am about to spit you out of my mouth. 17For you say, "I
am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing." You do not realize that
you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked. 18Therefore I
counsel you to buy from me gold refined by fire so that you may be rich;
and white robes to clothe you and to keep the shame of your nakedness
from being seen; and salve to anoint your eyes so that you may see. 19I
reprove and discipline those whom I love. Be earnest, therefore, and
repent. 20Listen! I am standing at the door, knocking; if you hear my
voice and open the door, I will come in to you and eat with you, and you
with me. 21To the one who conquers I will give a place with me on my
throne, just as I myself conquered and sat down with my Father on his
throne. 22Let anyone who has an ear listen to what the Spirit is saying
to the churches.' 
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Matthew 24:32-44

'From the fig tree learn its lesson: as soon as its branch becomes
tender and puts forth its leaves, you know that summer is near. 33So
also, when you see all these things, you know that he* is near, at the
very gates. 34Truly I tell you, this generation will not pass away until
all these things have taken place. 35Heaven and earth will pass away,
but my words will not pass away. 
The Necessity for Watchfulness36 'But about that day and hour no one
knows, neither the angels of heaven, nor the Son,* but only the Father.
37For as the days of Noah were, so will be the coming of the Son of Man.
38For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking,
marrying and giving in marriage, until the day Noah entered the ark,
39and they knew nothing until the flood came and swept them all away, so
too will be the coming of the Son of Man. 40Then two will be in the
field; one will be taken and one will be left. 41Two women will be
grinding meal together; one will be taken and one will be left. 42Keep
awake therefore, for you do not know on what day* your Lord is coming.
43But understand this: if the owner of the house had known in what part
of the night the thief was coming, he would have stayed awake and would
not have let his house be broken into. 44Therefore you also must be
ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an unexpected hour.
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Morning Psalms:  Psalm 45

Psalm 45

My heart overflows with a goodly theme;
   I address my verses to the king;
   my tongue is like the pen of a ready scribe. 


2You are the most handsome of men;
   grace is poured upon your lips;
   therefore God has blessed you for ever. 
3Gird your sword on your thigh, O mighty one,
   in your glory and majesty. 


4In your majesty ride on victoriously
   for the cause of truth and to defend* the right;
   let your right hand teach you dread deeds. 
5Your arrows are sharp
   in the heart of the king's enemies;
   the peoples fall under you. 


6Your throne, O God,* endures for ever and ever.
   Your royal sceptre is a sceptre of equity; 
7   you love righteousness and hate wickedness.
Therefore God, your God, has anointed you
   with the oil of gladness beyond your companions; 
8   your robes are all fragrant with myrrh and aloes and cassia.
>From ivory palaces stringed instruments make you glad; 
9   daughters of kings are among your ladies of honour;
   at your right hand stands the queen in gold of Ophir. 


10Hear, O daughter, consider and incline your ear;
   forget your people and your father's house, 
11   and the king will desire your beauty.
Since he is your lord, bow to him; 
12   the people* of Tyre will seek your favour with gifts,
   the richest of the people 13with all kinds of wealth. 


The princess is decked in her chamber with gold-woven robes;* 
14   in many-coloured robes she is led to the king;
   behind her the virgins, her companions, follow. 
15With joy and gladness they are led along
   as they enter the palace of the king. 


16In the place of ancestors you, O king,* shall have sons;
   you will make them princes in all the earth. 
17I will cause your name to be celebrated in all generations;
   therefore the peoples will praise you for ever and ever.
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Evening Psalms:  Psalm 47, 48

Psalm 47

Clap your hands, all you peoples;
   shout to God with loud songs of joy. 
2For the Lord, the Most High, is awesome,
   a great king over all the earth. 
3He subdued peoples under us,
   and nations under our feet. 
4He chose our heritage for us,
   the pride of Jacob whom he loves.
          Selah 


5God has gone up with a shout,
   the Lord with the sound of a trumpet. 
6Sing praises to God, sing praises;
   sing praises to our King, sing praises. 
7For God is the king of all the earth;
   sing praises with a psalm.* 


8God is king over the nations;
   God sits on his holy throne. 
9The princes of the peoples gather
   as the people of the God of Abraham.
For the shields of the earth belong to God;
   he is highly exalted.


Psalm 48

Great is the Lord and greatly to be praised
   in the city of our God.
His holy mountain, 2beautiful in elevation,
   is the joy of all the earth,
Mount Zion, in the far north,
   the city of the great King. 
3Within its citadels God
   has shown himself a sure defence. 


4Then the kings assembled,
   they came on together. 
5As soon as they saw it, they were astounded;
   they were in panic, they took to flight; 
6trembling took hold of them there,
   pains as of a woman in labour, 
7as when an east wind shatters
   the ships of Tarshish. 
8As we have heard, so have we seen
   in the city of the Lord of hosts,
in the city of our God,
   which God establishes for ever.
          Selah 


9We ponder your steadfast love, O God,
   in the midst of your temple. 
10Your name, O God, like your praise,
   reaches to the ends of the earth.
Your right hand is filled with victory. 
11   Let Mount Zion be glad,
let the towns* of Judah rejoice
   because of your judgements. 


12Walk about Zion, go all around it,
   count its towers, 
13consider well its ramparts;
   go through its citadels,
that you may tell the next generation 
14   that this is God,
our God for ever and ever.
   He will be our guide for ever.
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