Friday 14 March 2008 DAILY LECTIONARY

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Friday 14 March 2008 
DAILY LECTIONARY

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Exodus 9:13-35

Then the Lord said to Moses, 'Rise up early in the morning and present
yourself before Pharaoh, and say to him, "Thus says the Lord, the God of
the Hebrews: Let my people go, so that they may worship me. 14For this
time I will send all my plagues upon you yourself, and upon your
officials, and upon your people, so that you may know that there is no
one like me in all the earth. 15For by now I could have stretched out my
hand and struck you and your people with pestilence, and you would have
been cut off from the earth. 16But this is why I have let you live: to
show you my power, and to make my name resound through all the earth.
17You are still exalting yourself against my people, and will not let
them go. 18Tomorrow at this time I will cause the heaviest hail to fall
that has ever fallen in Egypt from the day it was founded until now.
19Send, therefore, and have your livestock and everything that you have
in the open field brought to a secure place; every human or animal that
is in the open field and is not brought under shelter will die when the
hail comes down upon them." ' 20Those officials of Pharaoh who feared
the word of the Lord hurried their slaves and livestock off to a secure
place. 21Those who did not regard the word of the Lord left their slaves
and livestock in the open field. 
22 The Lord said to Moses, 'Stretch out your hand towards heaven so that
hail may fall on the whole land of Egypt, on humans and animals and all
the plants of the field in the land of Egypt.' 23Then Moses stretched
out his staff towards heaven, and the Lord sent thunder and hail, and
fire came down on the earth. And the Lord rained hail on the land of
Egypt; 24there was hail with fire flashing continually in the midst of
it, such heavy hail as had never fallen in all the land of Egypt since
it became a nation. 25The hail struck down everything that was in the
open field throughout all the land of Egypt, both human and animal; the
hail also struck down all the plants of the field, and shattered every
tree in the field. 26Only in the land of Goshen, where the Israelites
were, there was no hail. 
27 Then Pharaoh summoned Moses and Aaron, and said to them, 'This time I
have sinned; the Lord is in the right, and I and my people are in the
wrong. 28Pray to the Lord! Enough of God's thunder and hail! I will let
you go; you need stay no longer.' 29Moses said to him, 'As soon as I
have gone out of the city, I will stretch out my hands to the Lord; the
thunder will cease, and there will be no more hail, so that you may know
that the earth is the Lord's. 30But as for you and your officials, I
know that you do not yet fear the Lord God.' 31(Now the flax and the
barley were ruined, for the barley was in the ear and the flax was in
bud. 32But the wheat and the spelt were not ruined, for they are late in
coming up.) 33So Moses left Pharaoh, went out of the city, and stretched
out his hands to the Lord; then the thunder and the hail ceased, and the
rain no longer poured down on the earth. 34But when Pharaoh saw that the
rain and the hail and the thunder had ceased, he sinned once more and
hardened his heart, he and his officials. 35So the heart of Pharaoh was
hardened, and he would not let the Israelites go, just as the Lord had
spoken through Moses.
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2 Corinthians 4:1-12

Therefore, since it is by God's mercy that we are engaged in this
ministry, we do not lose heart. 2We have renounced the shameful things
that one hides; we refuse to practise cunning or to falsify God's word;
but by the open statement of the truth we commend ourselves to the
conscience of everyone in the sight of God. 3And even if our gospel is
veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. 4In their case the god
of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them
from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the
image of God. 5For we do not proclaim ourselves; we proclaim Jesus
Christ as Lord and ourselves as your slaves for Jesus' sake. 6For it is
the God who said, 'Let light shine out of darkness', who has shone in
our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the
face of Jesus Christ. 
7 But we have this treasure in clay jars, so that it may be made clear
that this extraordinary power belongs to God and does not come from us.
8We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not
driven to despair; 9persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not
destroyed; 10always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the
life of Jesus may also be made visible in our bodies. 11For while we
live, we are always being given up to death for Jesus' sake, so that the
life of Jesus may be made visible in our mortal flesh. 12So death is at
work in us, but life in you.
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Mark 10:32-45

They were on the road, going up to Jerusalem, and Jesus was walking
ahead of them; they were amazed, and those who followed were afraid. He
took the twelve aside again and began to tell them what was to happen to
him, 33saying, 'See, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man
will be handed over to the chief priests and the scribes, and they will
condemn him to death; then they will hand him over to the Gentiles;
34they will mock him, and spit upon him, and flog him, and kill him; and
after three days he will rise again.' 
The Request of James and John35 James and John, the sons of Zebedee,
came forward to him and said to him, 'Teacher, we want you to do for us
whatever we ask of you.' 36And he said to them, 'What is it you want me
to do for you?' 37And they said to him, 'Grant us to sit, one at your
right hand and one at your left, in your glory.' 38But Jesus said to
them, 'You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the
cup that I drink, or be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized
with?' 39They replied, 'We are able.' Then Jesus said to them, 'The cup
that I drink you will drink; and with the baptism with which I am
baptized, you will be baptized; 40but to sit at my right hand or at my
left is not mine to grant, but it is for those for whom it has been
prepared.' 
41 When the ten heard this, they began to be angry with James and John.
42So Jesus called them and said to them, 'You know that among the
Gentiles those whom they recognize as their rulers lord it over them,
and their great ones are tyrants over them. 43But it is not so among
you; but whoever wishes to become great among you must be your servant,
44and whoever wishes to be first among you must be slave of all. 45For
the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life
a ransom for many.' 
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Morning Psalms:  Psalm 95, 22

Psalm 95

O come, let us sing to the Lord;
   let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation! 
2Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving;
   let us make a joyful noise to him with songs of praise! 
3For the Lord is a great God,
   and a great King above all gods. 
4In his hand are the depths of the earth;
   the heights of the mountains are his also. 
5The sea is his, for he made it,
   and the dry land, which his hands have formed. 


6O come, let us worship and bow down,
   let us kneel before the Lord, our Maker! 
7For he is our God,
   and we are the people of his pasture,
   and the sheep of his hand. 


O that today you would listen to his voice! 
8   Do not harden your hearts, as at Meribah,
   as on the day at Massah in the wilderness, 
9when your ancestors tested me,
   and put me to the proof, though they had seen my work. 
10For forty years I loathed that generation
   and said, 'They are a people whose hearts go astray,
   and they do not regard my ways.' 
11Therefore in my anger I swore,
   'They shall not enter my rest.'


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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Evening Psalms:  Psalm 141, 143:1-12

Psalm 141

I call upon you, O Lord; come quickly to me;
   give ear to my voice when I call to you. 
2Let my prayer be counted as incense before you,
   and the lifting up of my hands as an evening sacrifice. 


3Set a guard over my mouth, O Lord;
   keep watch over the door of my lips. 
4Do not turn my heart to any evil,
   to busy myself with wicked deeds
in company with those who work iniquity;
   do not let me eat of their delicacies. 


5Let the righteous strike me;
   let the faithful correct me.
Never let the oil of the wicked anoint my head,*
   for my prayer is continually* against their wicked deeds. 
6When they are given over to those who shall condemn them,
   then they shall learn that my words were pleasant. 
7Like a rock that one breaks apart and shatters on the land,
   so shall their bones be strewn at the mouth of Sheol.* 


8But my eyes are turned towards you, O God, my Lord;
   in you I seek refuge; do not leave me defenceless. 
9Keep me from the trap that they have laid for me,
   and from the snares of evildoers. 
10Let the wicked fall into their own nets,
   while I alone escape.


Psalm 143:1-12

Hear my prayer, O Lord;
   give ear to my supplications in your faithfulness;
   answer me in your righteousness. 
2Do not enter into judgement with your servant,
   for no one living is righteous before you. 


3For the enemy has pursued me,
   crushing my life to the ground,
   making me sit in darkness like those long dead. 
4Therefore my spirit faints within me;
   my heart within me is appalled. 


5I remember the days of old,
   I think about all your deeds,
   I meditate on the works of your hands. 
6I stretch out my hands to you;
   my soul thirsts for you like a parched land.
          Selah 


7Answer me quickly, O Lord;
   my spirit fails.
Do not hide your face from me,
   or I shall be like those who go down to the Pit. 
8Let me hear of your steadfast love in the morning,
   for in you I put my trust.
Teach me the way I should go,
   for to you I lift up my soul. 


9Save me, O Lord, from my enemies;
   I have fled to you for refuge.* 
10Teach me to do your will,
   for you are my God.
Let your good spirit lead me
   on a level path. 


11For your name's sake, O Lord, preserve my life.
   In your righteousness bring me out of trouble. 
12In your steadfast love cut off my enemies,
   and destroy all my adversaries,
   for I am your servant.
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