Wednesday 31 August 2022 DAILY LECTIONARY

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Wednesday 31 August 2022 
DAILY LECTIONARY

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Job 12:1, 14:1-22

Then Job answered:

‘A mortal, born of woman, few of days and full of trouble, 
   comes up like a flower and withers,
   flees like a shadow and does not last. 
Do you fix your eyes on such a one?
   Do you bring me into judgement with you? 
Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean?
   No one can. 
Since their days are determined,
   and the number of their months is known to you,
   and you have appointed the bounds that they cannot pass, 
look away from them, and desist,*
   that they may enjoy, like labourers, their days. 

‘For there is hope for a tree,
   if it is cut down, that it will sprout again,
   and that its shoots will not cease. 
Though its root grows old in the earth,
   and its stump dies in the ground, 
yet at the scent of water it will bud
   and put forth branches like a young plant. 
But mortals die, and are laid low;
   humans expire, and where are they? 
As waters fail from a lake,
   and a river wastes away and dries up, 
so mortals lie down and do not rise again;
   until the heavens are no more, they will not awake
   or be roused out of their sleep. 
O that you would hide me in Sheol,
   that you would conceal me until your wrath is past,
   that you would appoint me a set time, and remember me! 
If mortals die, will they live again?
   All the days of my service I would wait
   until my release should come. 
You would call, and I would answer you;
   you would long for the work of your hands. 
For then you would not* number my steps,
   you would not keep watch over my sin; 
my transgression would be sealed up in a bag,
   and you would cover over my iniquity. 

‘But the mountain falls and crumbles away,
   and the rock is removed from its place; 
the waters wear away the stones;
   the torrents wash away the soil of the earth;
   so you destroy the hope of mortals. 
You prevail for ever against them, and they pass away;
   you change their countenance, and send them away. 
Their children come to honour, and they do not know it;
   they are brought low, and it goes unnoticed. 
They feel only the pain of their own bodies,
   and mourn only for themselves.’
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Acts 12:18-25

When morning came, there was no small commotion among the soldiers
over what had become of Peter. When Herod had searched for him and
could not find him, he examined the guards and ordered them to be put
to death. Then he went down from Judea to Caesarea and stayed there.
 Now Herod* was angry with the people of Tyre and Sidon. So they came
to him in a body; and after winning over Blastus, the king’s
chamberlain, they asked for a reconciliation, because their country
depended on the king’s country for food. On an appointed day Herod
put on his royal robes, took his seat on the platform, and delivered a
public address to them. The people kept shouting, ‘The voice of a
god, and not of a mortal!’ And immediately, because he had not given
the glory to God, an angel of the Lord struck him down, and he was
eaten by worms and died.

 But the word of God continued to advance and gain adherents. Then
after completing their mission Barnabas and Saul returned to*
Jerusalem and brought with them John, whose other name was Mark.
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John 8:47-59

Whoever is from God hears the words of God. The reason you do not hear
them is that you are not from God.’

 The Jews answered him, ‘Are we not right in saying that you are a
Samaritan and have a demon?’ Jesus answered, ‘I do not have a
demon; but I honour my Father, and you dishonour me. Yet I do not seek
my own glory; there is one who seeks it and he is the judge. Very
truly, I tell you, whoever keeps my word will never see death.’ The
Jews said to him, ‘Now we know that you have a demon. Abraham died,
and so did the prophets; yet you say, “Whoever keeps my word will
never taste death.” Are you greater than our father Abraham, who
died? The prophets also died. Who do you claim to be?’ Jesus
answered, ‘If I glorify myself, my glory is nothing. It is my Father
who glorifies me, he of whom you say, “He is our God”, though you
do not know him. But I know him; if I were to say that I do not know
him, I would be a liar like you. But I do know him and I keep his
word. Your ancestor Abraham rejoiced that he would see my day; he saw
it and was glad.’ Then the Jews said to him, ‘You are not yet
fifty years old, and have you seen Abraham?’* Jesus said to them,
‘Very truly, I tell you, before Abraham was, I am.’ So they picked
up stones to throw at him, but Jesus hid himself and went out of the
temple.
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Morning Psalms:  Psalm 38

Psalm 38

O Lord, do not rebuke me in your anger,
   or discipline me in your wrath. 
For your arrows have sunk into me,
   and your hand has come down on me. 

There is no soundness in my flesh
   because of your indignation;
there is no health in my bones
   because of my sin. 
For my iniquities have gone over my head;
   they weigh like a burden too heavy for me. 

My wounds grow foul and fester
   because of my foolishness; 
I am utterly bowed down and prostrate;
   all day long I go around mourning. 
For my loins are filled with burning,
   and there is no soundness in my flesh. 
I am utterly spent and crushed;
   I groan because of the tumult of my heart. 

O Lord, all my longing is known to you;
   my sighing is not hidden from you. 
My heart throbs, my strength fails me;
   as for the light of my eyes—it also has gone from me. 
My friends and companions stand aloof from my affliction,
   and my neighbours stand far off. 

Those who seek my life lay their snares;
   those who seek to hurt me speak of ruin,
   and meditate treachery all day long. 

But I am like the deaf, I do not hear;
   like the mute, who cannot speak. 
Truly, I am like one who does not hear,
   and in whose mouth is no retort. 

But it is for you, O Lord, that I wait;
   it is you, O Lord my God, who will answer. 
For I pray, ‘Only do not let them rejoice over me,
   those who boast against me when my foot slips.’ 

For I am ready to fall,
   and my pain is ever with me. 
I confess my iniquity;
   I am sorry for my sin. 
Those who are my foes without cause* are mighty,
   and many are those who hate me wrongfully. 
Those who render me evil for good
   are my adversaries because I follow after good. 

Do not forsake me, O Lord;
   O my God, do not be far from me; 
make haste to help me,
   O Lord, my salvation.
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Evening Psalms:  Psalm 119:25-48

Psalm 119:25-48

My soul clings to the dust;
   revive me according to your word. 
When I told of my ways, you answered me;
   teach me your statutes. 
Make me understand the way of your precepts,
   and I will meditate on your wondrous works. 
My soul melts away for sorrow;
   strengthen me according to your word. 
Put false ways far from me;
   and graciously teach me your law. 
I have chosen the way of faithfulness;
   I set your ordinances before me. 
I cling to your decrees, O Lord;
   let me not be put to shame. 
I run the way of your commandments,
   for you enlarge my understanding. 

Teach me, O Lord, the way of your statutes,
   and I will observe it to the end. 
Give me understanding, that I may keep your law
   and observe it with my whole heart. 
Lead me in the path of your commandments,
   for I delight in it. 
Turn my heart to your decrees,
   and not to selfish gain. 
Turn my eyes from looking at vanities;
   give me life in your ways. 
Confirm to your servant your promise,
   which is for those who fear you. 
Turn away the disgrace that I dread,
   for your ordinances are good. 
See, I have longed for your precepts;
   in your righteousness give me life. 

Let your steadfast love come to me, O Lord,
   your salvation according to your promise. 
Then I shall have an answer for those who taunt me,
   for I trust in your word. 
Do not take the word of truth utterly out of my mouth,
   for my hope is in your ordinances. 
I will keep your law continually,
   for ever and ever. 
I shall walk at liberty,
   for I have sought your precepts. 
I will also speak of your decrees before kings,
   and shall not be put to shame; 
I find my delight in your commandments,
   because I love them. 
I revere your commandments, which I love,
   and I will meditate on your statutes.
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