Wednesday 17 July 2024 DAILY LECTIONARY

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Wednesday 17 July 2024  
DAILY LECTIONARY

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Joshua 3:1-13

Early in the morning Joshua rose and set out from Shittim with all the
Israelites, and they came to the Jordan. They camped there before
crossing over. At the end of three days the officers went through the
camp and commanded the people, ‘When you see the ark of the covenant
of the Lord your God being carried by the levitical priests, then you
shall set out from your place. Follow it, so that you may know the way
you should go, for you have not passed this way before. Yet there
shall be a space between you and it, a distance of about two thousand
cubits; do not come any nearer to it.’ Then Joshua said to the
people, ‘Sanctify yourselves; for tomorrow the Lord will do wonders
among you.’ To the priests Joshua said, ‘Take up the ark of the
covenant, and pass on in front of the people.’ So they took up the
ark of the covenant and went in front of the people.

 The Lord said to Joshua, ‘This day I will begin to exalt you in
the sight of all Israel, so that they may know that I will be with you
as I was with Moses. You are the one who shall command the priests who
bear the ark of the covenant, “When you come to the edge of the
waters of the Jordan, you shall stand still in the Jordan.” ’
Joshua then said to the Israelites, ‘Draw near and hear the words of
the Lord your God.’ Joshua said, ‘By this you shall know that
among you is the living God who without fail will drive out from
before you the Canaanites, Hittites, Hivites, Perizzites, Girgashites,
Amorites, and Jebusites: the ark of the covenant of the Lord of all
the earth is going to pass before you into the Jordan. So now select
twelve men from the tribes of Israel, one from each tribe. When the
soles of the feet of the priests who bear the ark of the Lord, the
Lord of all the earth, rest in the waters of the Jordan, the waters of
the Jordan flowing from above shall be cut off; they shall stand in a
single heap.’
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Romans 11:25-36

So that you may not claim to be wiser than you are, brothers and
sisters,* I want you to understand this mystery: a hardening has come
upon part of Israel, until the full number of the Gentiles has come
in. And so all Israel will be saved; as it is written,
‘Out of Zion will come the Deliverer;
   he will banish ungodliness from Jacob.’ 
‘And this is my covenant with them,
   when I take away their sins.’ 
As regards the gospel they are enemies of God* for your sake; but as
regards election they are beloved, for the sake of their ancestors;
for the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable. Just as you were
once disobedient to God but have now received mercy because of their
disobedience, so they have now been disobedient in order that, by the
mercy shown to you, they too may now* receive mercy. For God has
imprisoned all in disobedience so that he may be merciful to all.

 O the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How
unsearchable are his judgements and how inscrutable his ways! 
‘For who has known the mind of the Lord?
   Or who has been his counsellor?’ 
‘Or who has given a gift to him,
   to receive a gift in return?’ 
For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be the
glory for ever. Amen. 
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Matthew 25:31-46

‘When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with
him, then he will sit on the throne of his glory. All the nations will
be gathered before him, and he will separate people one from another
as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats, and he will put the
sheep at his right hand and the goats at the left. Then the king will
say to those at his right hand, “Come, you that are blessed by my
Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of
the world; for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and
you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me,
I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of
me, I was in prison and you visited me.” Then the righteous will
answer him, “Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry and gave you
food, or thirsty and gave you something to drink? And when was it that
we saw you a stranger and welcomed you, or naked and gave you
clothing? And when was it that we saw you sick or in prison and
visited you?” And the king will answer them, “Truly I tell you,
just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my
family,* you did it to me.” Then he will say to those at his left
hand, “You that are accursed, depart from me into the eternal fire
prepared for the devil and his angels; for I was hungry and you gave
me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, I was a
stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not give me
clothing, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.” Then they
also will answer, “Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry or
thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not take
care of you?” Then he will answer them, “Truly I tell you, just as
you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to
me.” And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the
righteous into eternal life.’  

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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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