Wednesday 12 March 2008 DAILY LECTIONARY

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Wednesday 12 March 2008 
DAILY LECTIONARY

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Exodus 7:8-24

The Lord said to Moses and Aaron, 9'When Pharaoh says to you, "Perform a
wonder", then you shall say to Aaron, "Take your staff and throw it down
before Pharaoh, and it will become a snake." ' 10So Moses and Aaron went
to Pharaoh and did as the Lord had commanded; Aaron threw down his staff
before Pharaoh and his officials, and it became a snake. 11Then Pharaoh
summoned the wise men and the sorcerers; and they also, the magicians of
Egypt, did the same by their secret arts. 12Each one threw down his
staff, and they became snakes; but Aaron's staff swallowed up theirs.
13Still Pharaoh's heart was hardened, and he would not listen to them,
as the Lord had said. 
The First Plague: Water Turned to Blood14 Then the Lord said to Moses,
'Pharaoh's heart is hardened; he refuses to let the people go. 15Go to
Pharaoh in the morning, as he is going out to the water; stand by at the
river bank to meet him, and take in your hand the staff that was turned
into a snake. 16Say to him, "The Lord, the God of the Hebrews, sent me
to you to say, 'Let my people go, so that they may worship me in the
wilderness.' But until now you have not listened. 17Thus says the Lord,
'By this you shall know that I am the Lord.' See, with the staff that is
in my hand I will strike the water that is in the Nile, and it shall be
turned to blood. 18The fish in the river shall die, the river itself
shall stink, and the Egyptians shall be unable to drink water from the
Nile." ' 19The Lord said to Moses, 'Say to Aaron, "Take your staff and
stretch out your hand over the waters of Egypt-over its rivers, its
canals, and its ponds, and all its pools of water-so that they may
become blood; and there shall be blood throughout the whole land of
Egypt, even in vessels of wood and in vessels of stone." ' 
20 Moses and Aaron did just as the Lord commanded. In the sight of
Pharaoh and of his officials he lifted up the staff and struck the water
in the river, and all the water in the river was turned into blood,
21and the fish in the river died. The river stank so that the Egyptians
could not drink its water, and there was blood throughout the whole land
of Egypt. 22But the magicians of Egypt did the same by their secret
arts; so Pharaoh's heart remained hardened, and he would not listen to
them, as the Lord had said. 23Pharaoh turned and went into his house,
and he did not take even this to heart. 24And all the Egyptians had to
dig along the Nile for water to drink, for they could not drink the
water of the river.
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2 Corinthians 2:14-3:6

But thanks be to God, who in Christ always leads us in triumphal
procession, and through us spreads in every place the fragrance that
comes from knowing him. 15For we are the aroma of Christ to God among
those who are being saved and among those who are perishing; 16to the
one a fragrance from death to death, to the other a fragrance from life
to life. Who is sufficient for these things? 17For we are not peddlers
of God's word like so many;* but in Christ we speak as persons of
sincerity, as persons sent from God and standing in his presence. 
Ministers of the New Covenant3Are we beginning to commend ourselves
again? Surely we do not need, as some do, letters of recommendation to
you or from you, do we? 2You yourselves are our letter, written on our*
hearts, to be known and read by all; 3and you show that you are a letter
of Christ, prepared by us, written not with ink but with the Spirit of
the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts. 
4 Such is the confidence that we have through Christ towards God. 5Not
that we are competent of ourselves to claim anything as coming from us;
our competence is from God, 6who has made us competent to be ministers
of a new covenant, not of letter but of spirit; for the letter kills,
but the Spirit gives life.
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Mark 10:1-16

He left that place and went to the region of Judea and* beyond the
Jordan. And crowds again gathered around him; and, as was his custom, he
again taught them. 
2 Some Pharisees came, and to test him they asked, 'Is it lawful for a
man to divorce his wife?' 3He answered them, 'What did Moses command
you?' 4They said, 'Moses allowed a man to write a certificate of
dismissal and to divorce her.' 5But Jesus said to them, 'Because of your
hardness of heart he wrote this commandment for you. 6But from the
beginning of creation, "God made them male and female." 7"For this
reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his
wife,* 8and the two shall become one flesh." So they are no longer two,
but one flesh. 9Therefore what God has joined together, let no one
separate.' 
10 Then in the house the disciples asked him again about this matter.
11He said to them, 'Whoever divorces his wife and marries another
commits adultery against her; 12and if she divorces her husband and
marries another, she commits adultery.' 
Jesus Blesses Little Children13 People were bringing little children to
him in order that he might touch them; and the disciples spoke sternly
to them. 14But when Jesus saw this, he was indignant and said to them,
'Let the little children come to me; do not stop them; for it is to such
as these that the kingdom of God belongs. 15Truly I tell you, whoever
does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will never enter
it.' 16And he took them up in his arms, laid his hands on them, and
blessed them.
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Morning Psalms:  Psalm 119:145-176

Psalm 119:145-176

With my whole heart I cry; answer me, O Lord.
   I will keep your statutes. 
146I cry to you; save me,
   that I may observe your decrees. 
147I rise before dawn and cry for help;
   I put my hope in your words. 
148My eyes are awake before each watch of the night,
   that I may meditate on your promise. 
149In your steadfast love hear my voice;
   O Lord, in your justice preserve my life. 
150Those who persecute me with evil purpose draw near;
   they are far from your law. 
151Yet you are near, O Lord,
   and all your commandments are true. 
152Long ago I learned from your decrees
   that you have established them for ever. 


153Look on my misery and rescue me,
   for I do not forget your law. 
154Plead my cause and redeem me;
   give me life according to your promise. 
155Salvation is far from the wicked,
   for they do not seek your statutes. 
156Great is your mercy, O Lord;
   give me life according to your justice. 
157Many are my persecutors and my adversaries,
   yet I do not swerve from your decrees. 
158I look at the faithless with disgust,
   because they do not keep your commands. 
159Consider how I love your precepts;
   preserve my life according to your steadfast love. 
160The sum of your word is truth;
   and every one of your righteous ordinances endures for ever. 


161Princes persecute me without cause,
   but my heart stands in awe of your words. 
162I rejoice at your word
   like one who finds great spoil. 
163I hate and abhor falsehood,
   but I love your law. 
164Seven times a day I praise you
   for your righteous ordinances. 
165Great peace have those who love your law;
   nothing can make them stumble. 
166I hope for your salvation, O Lord,
   and I fulfil your commandments. 
167My soul keeps your decrees;
   I love them exceedingly. 
168I keep your precepts and decrees,
   for all my ways are before you. 


169Let my cry come before you, O Lord;
   give me understanding according to your word. 
170Let my supplication come before you;
   deliver me according to your promise. 
171My lips will pour forth praise,
   because you teach me your statutes. 
172My tongue will sing of your promise,
   for all your commandments are right. 
173Let your hand be ready to help me,
   for I have chosen your precepts. 
174I long for your salvation, O Lord,
   and your law is my delight. 
175Let me live that I may praise you,
   and let your ordinances help me. 
176I have gone astray like a lost sheep; seek out your servant,
   for I do not forget your commandments.
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Evening Psalms:  Psalm 128, 129, 130

Psalm 128

Happy is everyone who fears the Lord,
   who walks in his ways. 
2You shall eat the fruit of the labour of your hands;
   you shall be happy, and it shall go well with you. 


3Your wife will be like a fruitful vine
   within your house;
your children will be like olive shoots
   around your table. 
4Thus shall the man be blessed
   who fears the Lord. 


5The Lord bless you from Zion.
   May you see the prosperity of Jerusalem
   all the days of your life. 
6May you see your children's children.
   Peace be upon Israel!


Psalm 129

'Often have they attacked me from my youth'
   -let Israel now say- 
2'often have they attacked me from my youth,
   yet they have not prevailed against me. 
3Those who plough ploughed on my back;
   they made their furrows long.' 
4The Lord is righteous;
   he has cut the cords of the wicked. 
5May all who hate Zion
   be put to shame and turned back. 
6Let them be like the grass on the housetops
   that withers before it grows up, 
7with which reapers do not fill their hands
   or binders of sheaves their arms, 
8while those who pass by do not say,
   'The blessing of the Lord be upon you!
   We bless you in the name of the Lord!'


Psalm 130

Out of the depths I cry to you, O Lord. 
2   Lord, hear my voice!
Let your ears be attentive
   to the voice of my supplications! 


3If you, O Lord, should mark iniquities,
   Lord, who could stand? 
4But there is forgiveness with you,
   so that you may be revered. 


5I wait for the Lord, my soul waits,
   and in his word I hope; 
6my soul waits for the Lord
   more than those who watch for the morning,
   more than those who watch for the morning. 


7O Israel, hope in the Lord!
   For with the Lord there is steadfast love,
   and with him is great power to redeem. 
8It is he who will redeem Israel
   from all its iniquities.
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