Sunday 17 February 2008 DAILY LECTIONARY

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Sunday 17 February 2008 
DAILY LECTIONARY

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Genesis 41:14-45

Then Pharaoh sent for Joseph, and he was hurriedly brought out of the
dungeon. When he had shaved himself and changed his clothes, he came in
before Pharaoh. And Pharaoh said to Joseph, 'I have had a dream, and
there is no one who can interpret it. I have heard it said of you that
when you hear a dream you can interpret it.' Joseph answered Pharaoh,
'It is not I; God will give Pharaoh a favourable answer.' Then Pharaoh
said to Joseph, 'In my dream I was standing on the banks of the Nile;
and seven cows, fat and sleek, came up out of the Nile and fed in the
reed grass. Then seven other cows came up after them, poor, very ugly,
and thin. Never had I seen such ugly ones in all the land of Egypt. The
thin and ugly cows ate up the first seven fat cows, but when they had
eaten them no one would have known that they had done so, for they were
still as ugly as before. Then I awoke. I fell asleep a second time* and
I saw in my dream seven ears of grain, full and good, growing on one
stalk, and seven ears, withered, thin, and blighted by the east wind,
sprouting after them; and the thin ears swallowed up the seven good
ears. But when I told it to the magicians, there was no one who could
explain it to me.'

 Then Joseph said to Pharaoh, 'Pharaoh's dreams are one and the same;
God has revealed to Pharaoh what he is about to do. The seven good cows
are seven years, and the seven good ears are seven years; the dreams are
one. The seven lean and ugly cows that came up after them are seven
years, as are the seven empty ears blighted by the east wind. They are
seven years of famine. It is as I told Pharaoh; God has shown to Pharaoh
what he is about to do. There will come seven years of great plenty
throughout all the land of Egypt. After them there will arise seven
years of famine, and all the plenty will be forgotten in the land of
Egypt; the famine will consume the land. The plenty will no longer be
known in the land because of the famine that will follow, for it will be
very grievous. And the doubling of Pharaoh's dream means that the thing
is fixed by God, and God will shortly bring it about. Now therefore let
Pharaoh select a man who is discerning and wise, and set him over the
land of Egypt. Let Pharaoh proceed to appoint overseers over the land,
and take one-fifth of the produce of the land of Egypt during the seven
plenteous years. Let them gather all the food of these good years that
are coming, and lay up grain under the authority of Pharaoh for food in
the cities, and let them keep it. That food shall be a reserve for the
land against the seven years of famine that are to befall the land of
Egypt, so that the land may not perish through the famine.'
 The proposal pleased Pharaoh and all his servants. Pharaoh said to his
servants, 'Can we find anyone else like this-one in whom is the spirit
of God?' So Pharaoh said to Joseph, 'Since God has shown you all this,
there is no one so discerning and wise as you. You shall be over my
house, and all my people shall order themselves as you command; only
with regard to the throne will I be greater than you.' And Pharaoh said
to Joseph, 'See, I have set you over all the land of Egypt.' Removing
his signet ring from his hand, Pharaoh put it on Joseph's hand; he
arrayed him in garments of fine linen, and put a gold chain around his
neck. He had him ride in the chariot of his second-in-command; and they
cried out in front of him, 'Bow the knee!'* Thus he set him over all the
land of Egypt. Moreover, Pharaoh said to Joseph, 'I am Pharaoh, and
without your consent no one shall lift up hand or foot in all the land
of Egypt.' Pharaoh gave Joseph the name Zaphenath-paneah; and he gave
him Asenath daughter of Potiphera, priest of On, as his wife. Thus
Joseph gained authority over the land of Egypt.
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Romans 6:3-14

Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus
were baptized into his death? Therefore we have been buried with him by
baptism into death, so that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by
the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life.

 For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we will
certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his. We know that
our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be
destroyed, and we might no longer be enslaved to sin. For whoever has
died is freed from sin. But if we have died with Christ, we believe that
we will also live with him. We know that Christ, being raised from the
dead, will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him. The
death he died, he died to sin, once for all; but the life he lives, he
lives to God. So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive
to God in Christ Jesus.

 Therefore, do not let sin exercise dominion in your mortal bodies, to
make you obey their passions. No longer present your members to sin as
instruments* of wickedness, but present yourselves to God as those who
have been brought from death to life, and present your members to God as
instruments* of righteousness. For sin will have no dominion over you,
since you are not under law but under grace.
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John 5:19-24

Jesus said to them, 'Very truly, I tell you, the Son can do nothing on
his own, but only what he sees the Father doing; for whatever the
Father* does, the Son does likewise. The Father loves the Son and shows
him all that he himself is doing; and he will show him greater works
than these, so that you will be astonished. Indeed, just as the Father
raises the dead and gives them life, so also the Son gives life to
whomsoever he wishes. The Father judges no one but has given all
judgement to the Son, so that all may honour the Son just as they honour
the Father. Anyone who does not honour the Son does not honour the
Father who sent him. Very truly, I tell you, anyone who hears my word
and believes him who sent me has eternal life, and does not come under
judgement, but has passed from death to life.
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Morning Psalms:  Psalm 24, 29

Psalm 24

The earth is the Lord's and all that is in it,
   the world, and those who live in it; 
for he has founded it on the seas,
   and established it on the rivers. 


Who shall ascend the hill of the Lord?
   And who shall stand in his holy place? 
Those who have clean hands and pure hearts,
   who do not lift up their souls to what is false,
   and do not swear deceitfully. 
They will receive blessing from the Lord,
   and vindication from the God of their salvation. 
Such is the company of those who seek him,
   who seek the face of the God of Jacob.*
          Selah 


Lift up your heads, O gates!
   and be lifted up, O ancient doors!
   that the King of glory may come in. 
Who is the King of glory?
   The Lord, strong and mighty,
   the Lord, mighty in battle. 
Lift up your heads, O gates!
   and be lifted up, O ancient doors!
   that the King of glory may come in. 
Who is this King of glory?
   The Lord of hosts,
   he is the King of glory.
          Selah


Psalm 29

Ascribe to the Lord, O heavenly beings,*
   ascribe to the Lord glory and strength. 
Ascribe to the Lord the glory of his name;
   worship the Lord in holy splendour. 


The voice of the Lord is over the waters;
   the God of glory thunders,
   the Lord, over mighty waters. 
The voice of the Lord is powerful;
   the voice of the Lord is full of majesty. 


The voice of the Lord breaks the cedars;
   the Lord breaks the cedars of Lebanon. 
He makes Lebanon skip like a calf,
   and Sirion like a young wild ox. 


The voice of the Lord flashes forth flames of fire. 
The voice of the Lord shakes the wilderness;
   the Lord shakes the wilderness of Kadesh. 


The voice of the Lord causes the oaks to whirl,*
   and strips the forest bare;
   and in his temple all say, 'Glory!' 


The Lord sits enthroned over the flood;
   the Lord sits enthroned as king for ever. 
May the Lord give strength to his people!
   May the Lord bless his people with peace!
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Evening Psalms:  Psalm 8, 84

Psalm 8

O Lord, our Sovereign,
   how majestic is your name in all the earth! 


You have set your glory above the heavens. 
   Out of the mouths of babes and infants
you have founded a bulwark because of your foes,
   to silence the enemy and the avenger. 


When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers,
   the moon and the stars that you have established; 
what are human beings that you are mindful of them,
   mortals* that you care for them? 


Yet you have made them a little lower than God,*
   and crowned them with glory and honour. 
You have given them dominion over the works of your hands;
   you have put all things under their feet, 
all sheep and oxen,
   and also the beasts of the field, 
the birds of the air, and the fish of the sea,
   whatever passes along the paths of the seas. 


O Lord, our Sovereign,
   how majestic is your name in all the earth!


Psalm 84

How lovely is your dwelling place,
   O Lord of hosts! 
My soul longs, indeed it faints
   for the courts of the Lord;
my heart and my flesh sing for joy
   to the living God. 


Even the sparrow finds a home,
   and the swallow a nest for herself,
   where she may lay her young,
at your altars, O Lord of hosts,
   my King and my God. 
Happy are those who live in your house,
   ever singing your praise.
          Selah 


Happy are those whose strength is in you,
   in whose heart are the highways to Zion.* 
As they go through the valley of Baca
   they make it a place of springs;
   the early rain also covers it with pools. 
They go from strength to strength;
   the God of gods will be seen in Zion. 


O Lord God of hosts, hear my prayer;
   give ear, O God of Jacob!
          Selah 
Behold our shield, O God;
   look on the face of your anointed. 


For a day in your courts is better
   than a thousand elsewhere.
I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God
   than live in the tents of wickedness. 
For the Lord God is a sun and shield;
   he bestows favour and honour.
No good thing does the Lord withhold
   from those who walk uprightly. 
O Lord of hosts,
   happy is everyone who trusts in you.
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