Wednesday 13 February 2008 DAILY LECTIONARY

[info at dailylectionary.org]

Wednesday 13 February 2008 
DAILY LECTIONARY

Email Evangelism, forward to a friend: http://www.dailylectionary.org

******************************************************************
Genesis 37:25-36

Then they sat down to eat; and looking up they saw a caravan of
Ishmaelites coming from Gilead, with their camels carrying gum, balm,
and resin, on their way to carry it down to Egypt. 26Then Judah said to
his brothers, 'What profit is there if we kill our brother and conceal
his blood? 27Come, let us sell him to the Ishmaelites, and not lay our
hands on him, for he is our brother, our own flesh.' And his brothers
agreed. 28When some Midianite traders passed by, they drew Joseph up,
lifting him out of the pit, and sold him to the Ishmaelites for twenty
pieces of silver. And they took Joseph to Egypt. 
29 When Reuben returned to the pit and saw that Joseph was not in the
pit, he tore his clothes. 30He returned to his brothers, and said, 'The
boy is gone; and I, where can I turn?' 31Then they took Joseph's robe,
slaughtered a goat, and dipped the robe in the blood. 32They had the
long robe with sleeves* taken to their father, and they said, 'This we
have found; see now whether it is your son's robe or not.' 33He
recognized it, and said, 'It is my son's robe! A wild animal has
devoured him; Joseph is without doubt torn to pieces.' 34Then Jacob tore
his garments, and put sackcloth on his loins, and mourned for his son
for many days. 35All his sons and all his daughters sought to comfort
him; but he refused to be comforted, and said, 'No, I shall go down to
Sheol to my son, mourning.' Thus his father bewailed him. 36Meanwhile
the Midianites had sold him in Egypt to Potiphar, one of Pharaoh's
officials, the captain of the guard.
******************************************************************
1 Corinthians 2:1-13

When I came to you, brothers and sisters,* I did not come proclaiming
the mystery* of God to you in lofty words or wisdom. 2For I decided to
know nothing among you except Jesus Christ, and him crucified. 3And I
came to you in weakness and in fear and in much trembling. 4My speech
and my proclamation were not with plausible words of wisdom,* but with a
demonstration of the Spirit and of power, 5so that your faith might rest
not on human wisdom but on the power of God. 
The True Wisdom of God6 Yet among the mature we do speak wisdom, though
it is not a wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are
doomed to perish. 7But we speak God's wisdom, secret and hidden, which
God decreed before the ages for our glory. 8None of the rulers of this
age understood this; for if they had, they would not have crucified the
Lord of glory. 9But, as it is written,
'What no eye has seen, nor ear heard,
   nor the human heart conceived,
what God has prepared for those who love him'- 
10these things God has revealed to us through the Spirit; for the Spirit
searches everything, even the depths of God. 11For what human being
knows what is truly human except the human spirit that is within? So
also no one comprehends what is truly God's except the Spirit of God.
12Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit that
is from God, so that we may understand the gifts bestowed on us by God.
13And we speak of these things in words not taught by human wisdom but
taught by the Spirit, interpreting spiritual things to those who are
spiritual.*
******************************************************************
Mark 1:29-45

As soon as they* left the synagogue, they entered the house of Simon and
Andrew, with James and John. 30Now Simon's mother-in-law was in bed with
a fever, and they told him about her at once. 31He came and took her by
the hand and lifted her up. Then the fever left her, and she began to
serve them. 
32 That evening, at sunset, they brought to him all who were sick or
possessed with demons. 33And the whole city was gathered around the
door. 34And he cured many who were sick with various diseases, and cast
out many demons; and he would not permit the demons to speak, because
they knew him. 
A Preaching Tour in Galilee35 In the morning, while it was still very
dark, he got up and went out to a deserted place, and there he prayed.
36And Simon and his companions hunted for him. 37When they found him,
they said to him, 'Everyone is searching for you.' 38He answered, 'Let
us go on to the neighbouring towns, so that I may proclaim the message
there also; for that is what I came out to do.' 39And he went throughout
Galilee, proclaiming the message in their synagogues and casting out
demons. 
Jesus Cleanses a Leper40 A leper* came to him begging him, and kneeling*
he said to him, 'If you choose, you can make me clean.' 41Moved with
pity,* Jesus* stretched out his hand and touched him, and said to him,
'I do choose. Be made clean!' 42Immediately the leprosy* left him, and
he was made clean. 43After sternly warning him he sent him away at once,
44saying to him, 'See that you say nothing to anyone; but go, show
yourself to the priest, and offer for your cleansing what Moses
commanded, as a testimony to them.' 45But he went out and began to
proclaim it freely, and to spread the word, so that Jesus* could no
longer go into a town openly, but stayed out in the country; and people
came to him from every quarter.
******************************************************************
Morning Psalms:  Psalm 119:49-72

Psalm 119:49-72

Remember your word to your servant,
   in which you have made me hope. 
50This is my comfort in my distress,
   that your promise gives me life. 
51The arrogant utterly deride me,
   but I do not turn away from your law. 
52When I think of your ordinances from of old,
   I take comfort, O Lord. 
53Hot indignation seizes me because of the wicked,
   those who forsake your law. 
54Your statutes have been my songs
   wherever I make my home. 
55I remember your name in the night, O Lord,
   and keep your law. 
56This blessing has fallen to me,
   for I have kept your precepts. 


57The Lord is my portion;
   I promise to keep your words. 
58I implore your favour with all my heart;
   be gracious to me according to your promise. 
59When I think of your ways,
   I turn my feet to your decrees; 
60I hurry and do not delay
   to keep your commandments. 
61Though the cords of the wicked ensnare me,
   I do not forget your law. 
62At midnight I rise to praise you,
   because of your righteous ordinances. 
63I am a companion of all who fear you,
   of those who keep your precepts. 
64The earth, O Lord, is full of your steadfast love;
   teach me your statutes. 


65You have dealt well with your servant,
   O Lord, according to your word. 
66Teach me good judgement and knowledge,
   for I believe in your commandments. 
67Before I was humbled I went astray,
   but now I keep your word. 
68You are good and do good;
   teach me your statutes. 
69The arrogant smear me with lies,
   but with my whole heart I keep your precepts. 
70Their hearts are fat and gross,
   but I delight in your law. 
71It is good for me that I was humbled,
   so that I might learn your statutes. 
72The law of your mouth is better to me
   than thousands of gold and silver pieces. 
******************************************************************
Evening Psalms:  Psalm 49, 53

Psalm 49

Hear this, all you peoples;
   give ear, all inhabitants of the world, 
2both low and high,
   rich and poor together. 
3My mouth shall speak wisdom;
   the meditation of my heart shall be understanding. 
4I will incline my ear to a proverb;
   I will solve my riddle to the music of the harp. 


5Why should I fear in times of trouble,
   when the iniquity of my persecutors surrounds me, 
6those who trust in their wealth
   and boast of the abundance of their riches? 
7Truly, no ransom avails for one's life,*
   there is no price one can give to God for it. 
8For the ransom of life is costly,
   and can never suffice, 
9that one should live on for ever
   and never see the grave.* 


10When we look at the wise, they die;
   fool and dolt perish together
   and leave their wealth to others. 
11Their graves* are their homes for ever,
   their dwelling-places to all generations,
   though they named lands their own. 
12Mortals cannot abide in their pomp;
   they are like the animals that perish. 


13Such is the fate of the foolhardy,
   the end of those* who are pleased with their lot.
          Selah 
14Like sheep they are appointed for Sheol;
   Death shall be their shepherd;
straight to the grave they descend,*
   and their form shall waste away;
   Sheol shall be their home.* 
15But God will ransom my soul from the power of Sheol,
   for he will receive me.
          Selah 


16Do not be afraid when some become rich,
   when the wealth of their houses increases. 
17For when they die they will carry nothing away;
   their wealth will not go down after them. 
18Though in their lifetime they count themselves happy
   -for you are praised when you do well for yourself- 
19they* will go to the company of their ancestors,
   who will never again see the light. 
20Mortals cannot abide in their pomp;
   they are like the animals that perish.


Psalm 53

Fools say in their hearts, 'There is no God.'
   They are corrupt, they commit abominable acts;
   there is no one who does good. 


2God looks down from heaven on humankind
   to see if there are any who are wise,
   who seek after God. 


3They have all fallen away, they are all alike perverse;
   there is no one who does good,
   no, not one. 


4Have they no knowledge, those evildoers,
   who eat up my people as they eat bread,
   and do not call upon God? 


5There they shall be in great terror,
   in terror such as has not been.
For God will scatter the bones of the ungodly;*
   they will be put to shame,* for God has rejected them. 


6O that deliverance for Israel would come from Zion!
   When God restores the fortunes of his people,
   Jacob will rejoice; Israel will be glad.
******************************************************************