Friday 18 January 2008 DAILY LECTIONARY

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Friday 18 January 2008 
DAILY LECTIONARY

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Genesis 6:1-8
When people began to multiply on the face of the ground, and daughters
were born to them, 2the sons of God saw that they were fair; and they
took wives for themselves of all that they chose. 3Then the Lord said,
'My spirit shall not abide* in mortals for ever, for they are flesh;
their days shall be one hundred and twenty years.' 4The Nephilim were on
the earth in those days-and also afterwards-when the sons of God went in
to the daughters of humans, who bore children to them. These were the
heroes that were of old, warriors of renown. 
5 The Lord saw that the wickedness of humankind was great in the earth,
and that every inclination of the thoughts of their hearts was only evil
continually. 6And the Lord was sorry that he had made humankind on the
earth, and it grieved him to his heart. 7So the Lord said, 'I will blot
out from the earth the human beings I have created-people together with
animals and creeping things and birds of the air, for I am sorry that I
have made them.' 8But Noah found favour in the sight of the Lord.
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Hebrews 3:12-19

Take care, brothers and sisters,* that none of you may have an evil,
unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. 13But exhort one
another every day, as long as it is called 'today', so that none of you
may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. 14For we have become
partners of Christ, if only we hold our first confidence firm to the
end. 15As it is said,
'Today, if you hear his voice,
do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion.' 
16Now who were they who heard and yet were rebellious? Was it not all
those who left Egypt under the leadership of Moses? 17But with whom was
he angry for forty years? Was it not those who sinned, whose bodies fell
in the wilderness? 18And to whom did he swear that they would not enter
his rest, if not to those who were disobedient? 19So we see that they
were unable to enter because of unbelief.
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John 2:1-12

On the third day there was a wedding in Cana of Galilee, and the mother
of Jesus was there. 2Jesus and his disciples had also been invited to
the wedding. 3When the wine gave out, the mother of Jesus said to him,
'They have no wine.' 4And Jesus said to her, 'Woman, what concern is
that to you and to me? My hour has not yet come.' 5His mother said to
the servants, 'Do whatever he tells you.' 6Now standing there were six
stone water-jars for the Jewish rites of purification, each holding
twenty or thirty gallons. 7Jesus said to them, 'Fill the jars with
water.' And they filled them up to the brim. 8He said to them, 'Now draw
some out, and take it to the chief steward.' So they took it. 9When the
steward tasted the water that had become wine, and did not know where it
came from (though the servants who had drawn the water knew), the
steward called the bridegroom 10and said to him, 'Everyone serves the
good wine first, and then the inferior wine after the guests have become
drunk. But you have kept the good wine until now.' 11Jesus did this, the
first of his signs, in Cana of Galilee, and revealed his glory; and his
disciples believed in him. 
12 After this he went down to Capernaum with his mother, his brothers,
and his disciples; and they remained there for a few days.
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Morning Psalms:  Psalm 16, 17

Psalm 16

Protect me, O God, for in you I take refuge. 
2I say to the Lord, 'You are my Lord;
   I have no good apart from you.'*


3As for the holy ones in the land, they are the noble,
   in whom is all my delight. 


4Those who choose another god multiply their sorrows;*
   their drink-offerings of blood I will not pour out
   or take their names upon my lips. 


5The Lord is my chosen portion and my cup;
   you hold my lot. 
6The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places;
   I have a goodly heritage. 


7I bless the Lord who gives me counsel;
   in the night also my heart instructs me. 
8I keep the Lord always before me;
   because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved. 


9Therefore my heart is glad, and my soul rejoices;
   my body also rests secure. 
10For you do not give me up to Sheol,
   or let your faithful one see the Pit. 


11You show me the path of life.
   In your presence there is fullness of joy;
   in your right hand are pleasures for evermore.


Psalm 17

Hear a just cause, O Lord; attend to my cry;
   give ear to my prayer from lips free of deceit. 
2From you let my vindication come;
   let your eyes see the right. 


3If you try my heart, if you visit me by night,
   if you test me, you will find no wickedness in me;
   my mouth does not transgress. 
4As for what others do, by the word of your lips
   I have avoided the ways of the violent. 
5My steps have held fast to your paths;
   my feet have not slipped. 


6I call upon you, for you will answer me, O God;
   incline your ear to me, hear my words. 
7Wondrously show your steadfast love,
   O saviour of those who seek refuge
   from their adversaries at your right hand. 


8Guard me as the apple of the eye;
   hide me in the shadow of your wings, 
9from the wicked who despoil me,
   my deadly enemies who surround me. 
10They close their hearts to pity;
   with their mouths they speak arrogantly. 
11They track me down;* now they surround me;
   they set their eyes to cast me to the ground. 
12They are like a lion eager to tear,
   like a young lion lurking in ambush. 


13Rise up, O Lord, confront them, overthrow them!
   By your sword deliver my life from the wicked, 
14from mortals-by your hand, O Lord-
   from mortals whose portion in life is in this world.
May their bellies be filled with what you have stored up for them;
   may their children have more than enough;
   may they leave something over to their little ones. 


15As for me, I shall behold your face in righteousness;
   when I awake I shall be satisfied, beholding your likeness.
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Evening Psalms:  Psalm 22

Psalm 22

My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?
   Why are you so far from helping me, from the words of my groaning? 
2O my God, I cry by day, but you do not answer;
   and by night, but find no rest. 


3Yet you are holy,
   enthroned on the praises of Israel. 
4In you our ancestors trusted;
   they trusted, and you delivered them. 
5To you they cried, and were saved;
   in you they trusted, and were not put to shame. 


6But I am a worm, and not human;
   scorned by others, and despised by the people. 
7All who see me mock at me;
   they make mouths at me, they shake their heads; 
8'Commit your cause to the Lord; let him deliver-
   let him rescue the one in whom he delights!' 


9Yet it was you who took me from the womb;
   you kept me safe on my mother's breast. 
10On you I was cast from my birth,
   and since my mother bore me you have been my God. 
11Do not be far from me,
   for trouble is near
   and there is no one to help. 


12Many bulls encircle me,
   strong bulls of Bashan surround me; 
13they open wide their mouths at me,
   like a ravening and roaring lion. 


14I am poured out like water,
   and all my bones are out of joint;
my heart is like wax;
   it is melted within my breast; 
15my mouth* is dried up like a potsherd,
   and my tongue sticks to my jaws;
   you lay me in the dust of death. 


16For dogs are all around me;
   a company of evildoers encircles me.
My hands and feet have shrivelled;* 
17I can count all my bones.
They stare and gloat over me; 
18they divide my clothes among themselves,
   and for my clothing they cast lots. 


19But you, O Lord, do not be far away!
   O my help, come quickly to my aid! 
20Deliver my soul from the sword,
   my life* from the power of the dog! 
21   Save me from the mouth of the lion! 


>From the horns of the wild oxen you have rescued* me. 
22I will tell of your name to my brothers and sisters;*
   in the midst of the congregation I will praise you: 
23You who fear the Lord, praise him!
   All you offspring of Jacob, glorify him;
   stand in awe of him, all you offspring of Israel! 
24For he did not despise or abhor
   the affliction of the afflicted;
he did not hide his face from me,*
   but heard when I* cried to him. 


25From you comes my praise in the great congregation;
   my vows I will pay before those who fear him. 
26The poor* shall eat and be satisfied;
   those who seek him shall praise the Lord.
   May your hearts live for ever! 


27All the ends of the earth shall remember
   and turn to the Lord;
and all the families of the nations
   shall worship before him.* 
28For dominion belongs to the Lord,
   and he rules over the nations. 


29To him,* indeed, shall all who sleep in* the earth bow down;
   before him shall bow all who go down to the dust,
   and I shall live for him.* 
30Posterity will serve him;
   future generations will be told about the Lord, 
31and* proclaim his deliverance to a people yet unborn,
   saying that he has done it.
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