Saturday 20 January 2024 DAILY LECTIONARY

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Saturday 20 January 2024 
DAILY LECTIONARY

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Genesis 12:9-13:1

And Abram journeyed on by stages towards the Negeb.
 Now there was a famine in the land. So Abram went down to Egypt to
reside there as an alien, for the famine was severe in the land. When
he was about to enter Egypt, he said to his wife Sarai, ‘I know well
that you are a woman beautiful in appearance; and when the Egyptians
see you, they will say, “This is his wife”; then they will kill
me, but they will let you live. Say you are my sister, so that it may
go well with me because of you, and that my life may be spared on your
account.’ When Abram entered Egypt the Egyptians saw that the woman
was very beautiful. When the officials of Pharaoh saw her, they
praised her to Pharaoh. And the woman was taken into Pharaoh’s
house. And for her sake he dealt well with Abram; and he had sheep,
oxen, male donkeys, male and female slaves, female donkeys, and
camels.

 But the Lord afflicted Pharaoh and his house with great plagues
because of Sarai, Abram’s wife. So Pharaoh called Abram, and said,
‘What is this you have done to me? Why did you not tell me that she
was your wife? Why did you say, “She is my sister”, so that I took
her for my wife? Now then, here is your wife; take her, and be
gone.’ And Pharaoh gave his men orders concerning him; and they set
him on the way, with his wife and all that he had.
So Abram went up from Egypt, he and his wife and all that he had, and
Lot with him, into the Negeb.
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Hebrews 7:18-28

There is, on the one hand, the abrogation of an earlier commandment
because it was weak and ineffectual (for the law made nothing
perfect); there is, on the other hand, the introduction of a better
hope, through which we approach God.

 This was confirmed with an oath; for others who became priests took
their office without an oath, but this one became a priest with an
oath, because of the one who said to him,
‘The Lord has sworn
   and will not change his mind,
“You are a priest for ever” ’— 
accordingly Jesus has also become the guarantee of a better covenant.

 Furthermore, the former priests were many in number, because they
were prevented by death from continuing in office; but he holds his
priesthood permanently, because he continues for ever. Consequently he
is able for all time to save* those who approach God through him,
since he always lives to make intercession for them.

 For it was fitting that we should have such a high priest, holy,
blameless, undefiled, separated from sinners, and exalted above the
heavens. Unlike the other* high priests, he has no need to offer
sacrifices day after day, first for his own sins, and then for those
of the people; this he did once for all when he offered himself. For
the law appoints as high priests those who are subject to weakness,
but the word of the oath, which came later than the law, appoints a
Son who has been made perfect for ever.
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John 4:27-42

Just then his disciples came. They were astonished that he was
speaking with a woman, but no one said, ‘What do you want?’ or,
‘Why are you speaking with her?’ Then the woman left her water-jar
and went back to the city. She said to the people, ‘Come and see a
man who told me everything I have ever done! He cannot be the
Messiah,* can he?’ They left the city and were on their way to him.

 Meanwhile the disciples were urging him, ‘Rabbi, eat something.’
But he said to them, ‘I have food to eat that you do not know
about.’ So the disciples said to one another, ‘Surely no one has
brought him something to eat?’ Jesus said to them, ‘My food is to
do the will of him who sent me and to complete his work. Do you not
say, “Four months more, then comes the harvest”? But I tell you,
look around you, and see how the fields are ripe for harvesting. The
reaper is already receiving* wages and is gathering fruit for eternal
life, so that sower and reaper may rejoice together. For here the
saying holds true, “One sows and another reaps.” I sent you to
reap that for which you did not labour. Others have laboured, and you
have entered into their labour.’

 Many Samaritans from that city believed in him because of the
woman’s testimony, ‘He told me everything I have ever done.’ So
when the Samaritans came to him, they asked him to stay with them; and
he stayed there for two days. And many more believed because of his
word. They said to the woman, ‘It is no longer because of what you
said that we believe, for we have heard for ourselves, and we know
that this is truly the Saviour of the world.’
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Morning Psalms: Psalm 30, 32

Psalm 30

I will extol you, O Lord, for you have drawn me up,
   and did not let my foes rejoice over me. 
O Lord my God, I cried to you for help,
   and you have healed me. 
O Lord, you brought up my soul from Sheol,
   restored me to life from among those gone down to the Pit.* 

Sing praises to the Lord, O you his faithful ones,
   and give thanks to his holy name. 
For his anger is but for a moment;
   his favour is for a lifetime.
Weeping may linger for the night,
   but joy comes with the morning. 

As for me, I said in my prosperity,
   ‘I shall never be moved.’ 
By your favour, O Lord,
   you had established me as a strong mountain;
you hid your face;
   I was dismayed. 

To you, O Lord, I cried,
   and to the Lord I made supplication: 
‘What profit is there in my death,
   if I go down to the Pit?
Will the dust praise you?
   Will it tell of your faithfulness? 
Hear, O Lord, and be gracious to me!
   O Lord, be my helper!’ 

You have turned my mourning into dancing;
   you have taken off my sackcloth
   and clothed me with joy, 
so that my soul* may praise you and not be silent.
   O Lord my God, I will give thanks to you for ever.

Psalm 32

Happy are those whose transgression is forgiven,
   whose sin is covered. 
Happy are those to whom the Lord imputes no iniquity,
   and in whose spirit there is no deceit. 

While I kept silence, my body wasted away
   through my groaning all day long. 
For day and night your hand was heavy upon me;
   my strength was dried up* as by the heat of summer.
          Selah 

Then I acknowledged my sin to you,
   and I did not hide my iniquity;
I said, ‘I will confess my transgressions to the Lord’,
   and you forgave the guilt of my sin.
          Selah 

Therefore let all who are faithful
   offer prayer to you;
at a time of distress,* the rush of mighty waters
   shall not reach them. 
You are a hiding-place for me;
   you preserve me from trouble;
   you surround me with glad cries of deliverance.
          Selah 

I will instruct you and teach you the way you should go;
   I will counsel you with my eye upon you. 
Do not be like a horse or a mule, without understanding,
   whose temper must be curbed with bit and bridle,
   else it will not stay near you. 

Many are the torments of the wicked,
   but steadfast love surrounds those who trust in the Lord. 
Be glad in the Lord and rejoice, O righteous,
   and shout for joy, all you upright in heart.
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Evening Psalms: Psalm 42, 43

Psalm 42

As a deer longs for flowing streams,
   so my soul longs for you, O God. 
My soul thirsts for God,
   for the living God.
When shall I come and behold
   the face of God? 
My tears have been my food
   day and night,
while people say to me continually,
   ‘Where is your God?’ 

These things I remember,
   as I pour out my soul:
how I went with the throng,*
   and led them in procession to the house of God,
with glad shouts and songs of thanksgiving,
   a multitude keeping festival. 
Why are you cast down, O my soul,
   and why are you disquieted within me?
Hope in God; for I shall again praise him,
   my help and my God. 

My soul is cast down within me;
   therefore I remember you
from the land of Jordan and of Hermon,
   from Mount Mizar. 
Deep calls to deep
   at the thunder of your cataracts;
all your waves and your billows
   have gone over me. 
By day the Lord commands his steadfast love,
   and at night his song is with me,
   a prayer to the God of my life. 

I say to God, my rock,
   ‘Why have you forgotten me?
Why must I walk about mournfully
   because the enemy oppresses me?’ 
As with a deadly wound in my body,
   my adversaries taunt me,
while they say to me continually,
   ‘Where is your God?’ 

Why are you cast down, O my soul,
   and why are you disquieted within me?
Hope in God; for I shall again praise him,
   my help and my God.

Psalm 43

Vindicate me, O God, and defend my cause
   against an ungodly people;
from those who are deceitful and unjust
   deliver me! 
For you are the God in whom I take refuge;
   why have you cast me off?
Why must I walk about mournfully
   because of the oppression of the enemy? 

O send out your light and your truth;
   let them lead me;
let them bring me to your holy hill
   and to your dwelling. 
Then I will go to the altar of God,
   to God my exceeding joy;
and I will praise you with the harp,
   O God, my God. 

Why are you cast down, O my soul,
   and why are you disquieted within me?
Hope in God; for I shall again praise him,
   my help and my God.
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