Wednesday, January 11, 2023

The Daily Bible Readings for Wednesday, January 11, 2023

 

The Daily Bible Readings
Wednesday, January 11, 2023
Psalm 89:5-37; Isaiah 51:1-16; Matthew 12:15-21
(Revised Common Lectionary Year A)

A Psalm and A Prayer
Responsive Readings from the Psalms and Prayers
for Public Worship and Private Devotions


Psalm 89:5-37
(God anoints David to be a son)

The heavens bear witness to your wonders, O LORD,
and to your faithfulness in the assembly of the holy ones;

For who in the skies can be compared to the LORD?
who is like the LORD among the gods?

God is much to be feared in the council of the holy ones,
great and terrible to all those round about him.

Who is like you, LORD God of hosts?
O mighty LORD, your faithfulness is all around you.

You rule the raging of the sea
and still the surging of its waves.

You have crushed Rahab of the deep with a deadly wound;
you have scattered your enemies with your mighty arm.

Yours are the heavens; the earth also is yours;
you laid the foundations of the world and all that is in it.

You have made the north and the south;
Tabor and Hermon rejoice in your Name.

You have a mighty arm;
strong is your hand and high is your right hand.

Righteousness and justice are the foundations of your throne;
love and truth go before your face.

Happy are the people who know the festal shout!
they walk, O LORD, in the light of your presence.

They rejoice daily in your Name;
they are jubilant in your righteousness.

For you are the glory of their strength,
and by your favor our might is exalted.

Truly, the LORD is our ruler;
The Holy One of Israel is our King.

You spoke once in vision and said to your faithful people:
“I have set the crown upon a warrior and have exalted one chosen out of the people.

I have found David my servant;
with my holy oil have I anointed him.

My hand will hold him fast
and my arm will make him strong.

No enemy shall deceive him,
nor any wicked man bring him down.

I will crush his foes before him
and strike down those who hate him.

My faithfulness and love shall be with him,
and he shall be victorious through my Name.

I shall make his dominion extend
from the Great Sea to the River.

He will say to me, ‘You are my Father,
my God, and the rock of my salvation.’

I will make him my firstborn
and higher than the kings of the earth.

I will keep my love for him for ever,
and my covenant will stand firm for him.

I will establish his line for ever
and his throne as the days of heaven.”

“If his children forsake my law
and do not walk according to my judgments;

If they break my statutes
and do not keep my commandments;

I will punish their transgressions with a rod
and their iniquities with the lash;

But I will not take my love from him,
nor let my faithfulness prove false.

I will not break my covenant,
nor change what has gone out of my lips.

Once for all I have sworn by my holiness:
‘I will not lie to David.

His line shall endure for ever
and his throne as the sun before me;

It shall stand fast for evermore like the moon,
the abiding witness in the sky.’”

O God, our Creator and Redeemer, we not only offer our praises to You this day, but our very selves as well. We come into Your presence with the humility befitting unworthy sinners that You have so graciously forgiven. We thank You for the gift of Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior, the One who makes new life possible to believers no matter what their past. Fill us now with Your Spirit that we might live wholly for You and serve Your people. Hear us we pray:
 “Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us, and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom and the power, and the glory, forever and ever. Amen.”

Isaiah 51:1-16
(Through water God’s people cross over)

Everlasting Salvation for Zion

“Listen to me, you who pursue righteousness
     and who seek the Lord:
  Look to the rock from which you were cut
     and to the quarry from which you were hewn;
look to Abraham, your father,
     and to Sarah, who gave you birth.
  When I called him he was only one man,
     and I blessed him and made him many.
The Lord will surely comfort Zion
     and will look with compassion on all her ruins;
  he will make her deserts like Eden,
     her wastelands like the garden of the Lord.
  Joy and gladness will be found in her,
     thanksgiving and the sound of singing.

“Listen to me, my people;
     hear me, my nation:
  Instruction will go out from me;
     my justice will become a light to the nations.
My righteousness draws near speedily,
     my salvation is on the way,
     and my arm will bring justice to the nations.
  The islands will look to me
     and wait in hope for my arm.
Lift up your eyes to the heavens,
     look at the earth beneath;
  the heavens will vanish like smoke,
     the earth will wear out like a garment
     and its inhabitants die like flies.
  But my salvation will last forever,
     my righteousness will never fail.

“Hear me, you who know what is right,
     you people who have taken my instruction to heart:
  Do not fear the reproach of mere mortals
     or be terrified by their insults.
For the moth will eat them up like a garment;
     the worm will devour them like wool.
  But my righteousness will last forever,
     my salvation through all generations.”

Awake, awake, arm of the Lord,
     clothe yourself with strength!
  Awake, as in days gone by,
     as in generations of old.
  Was it not you who cut Rahab to pieces,
     who pierced that monster through?
10 Was it not you who dried up the sea,
      the waters of the great deep,
   who made a road in the depths of the sea
      so that the redeemed might cross over?
11 Those the Lord has rescued will return.
      They will enter Zion with singing;
      everlasting joy will crown their heads.
   Gladness and joy will overtake them,
      and sorrow and sighing will flee away.

12 “I, even I, am he who comforts you.
      Who are you that you fear mere mortals,
      human beings who are but grass,
13 that you forget the Lord your Maker,
      who stretches out the heavens
      and who lays the foundations of the earth,
   that you live in constant terror every day
      because of the wrath of the oppressor,
      who is bent on destruction?
   For where is the wrath of the oppressor?
14    The cowering prisoners will soon be set free;
   they will not die in their dungeon,
      nor will they lack bread.
15 For I am the Lord your God,
      who stirs up the sea so that its waves roar—
      the Lord Almighty is his name.
16 I have put my words in your mouth
      and covered you with the shadow of my hand—
   I who set the heavens in place,
      who laid the foundations of the earth,
      and who say to Zion, ‘You are my people.’”

Matthew 12:15-21
(The words of Isaiah applied to Jesus)

God’s Chosen Servant

12:15 Aware of this, Jesus withdrew from that place. A large crowd followed him, and he healed all who were ill. 16 He warned them not to tell others about him. 17 This was to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet Isaiah:
18 “Here is my servant whom I have chosen,
      the one I love, in whom I delight;
   I will put my Spirit on him,
      and he will proclaim justice to the nations.
19 He will not quarrel or cry out;
      no one will hear his voice in the streets.
20 A bruised reed he will not break,
      and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out,
   till he has brought justice through to victory.
21    In his name the nations will put their hope.”

Optional parts of the readings are set off in [square brackets.]

The Bible texts of the Old Testament, Epistle, and Gospel lessons are from The Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

The Daily Lectionary is a three year cyclical lectionary. We are currently in Year A. Beginning with the first Sunday of Advent in 2023, we will be in Year B. The year which ended at Advent 2022 was Year A. These readings complement the Sunday and festival readings: Thursday through Saturday readings help prepare the reader for the Sunday ahead; Monday through Wednesday readings help the reader reflect and digest on what they heard in worship. Revised Common Lectionary Daily Readings, copyright © 2005 Consultation on Common Texts. www.commontexts.org
The Daily Bible Readings for Wednesday, January 11, 2023
Psalm 89:5-37; Isaiah 51:1-16; Matthew 12:15-21

The Morning Prayer for Wednesday, January 11, 2023

 

The Morning Prayer
Wednesday, January 11, 2023


The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?
Psalm 27:1, RSV


Our dear Father, we ask you to come to us from heaven and surround us with your goodness and mercy, with your light and life. We are weak, poor, and lost just when we need to stand firm and hold on. But you are faithful. You stay by us and help us. Continue to help and sustain us, we pray. Do not let our lives be lived in vain. May something of eternity be with us in all we have to face in life, so that over and over again we may find courage to start anew. Amen.

Verse of the Day for Wednesday, January 11, 2023

 

Verse of the Day
Wednesday, January 11, 2023


Psalm 118:5-6
When hard pressed, I cried to the Lord; he brought me into a spacious place. The Lord is with me; I will not be afraid. What can mere mortals do to me?
Usually, Prayers that come from distress and difficulties are from the heart, and they go directly to the heart of God. Many of us are going through such difficulty. Let’s not think of it as an end. Prayers serve as an avenue to break yokes and justify us.

Read all of Psalm 118

Listen to Psalm 118


Scripture from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®.

Travel the World from Home — The Doorstep to Israel: The Coastal Plains

 

The Holy Land:
Connecting the Land with Its Stories
The Doorstep to Israel: The Coastal Plains
Season 2 — Episode 4

You might think you're watching a commercial for some exotic destination when you push play.  And in some ways you are. Now is your opportunity to venture with Jack Beck into a part of the Holy Land that we normally don't think of when we read Bible stories. This captivating space offers miles of beautiful beaches, tasty food, and big city fun. The vibrancy and allure of the Coastal Plain which features the larger cities of Ashkelon and Tel Aviv might have you wondering, why did God choose the more rugged interior of Israel to begin His salvation story? And what is the significance of the Coastal Plain?

In Episode 4, walk with Jack as he explores the beaches, ruins, and ramparts of Ashkelon, one of the biggest cities in the Holy Land. You'll gain an insightful lesson in history and economics as Jack explains how this coveted land was conquered many times over the years as rulers desired its advantageous location. Travel north up the coast to another major city, Tel Aviv, where you'll walk through a colorful market and get a feel for the vibe of the streets and people. You'll even begin to understand the popular phrase, "Play in Tel Aviv, and pray in Jerusalem." This is one more insight into the Holy Land: God may have tucked His people safely away in the smaller, rural areas, but He used the location of the Coastal Plain to start the spread of the gospel. As Jack said, "When we read the Bible, it's not about the absence of stories in the Coastal Plain. If we focus there we won't get it. It's about the access that the Coastal Plain gives to the people of God that allows them to reach the rest of the world."

So come along on this exciting ride and see how God uses both the land and His people to spread the gospel.



Season 2 — Episode 4 | The Doorstep to Israel: The Coastal Plains