Daily Devotion – Great Plains Episcopal Area – Thursday, 2 January
2014
Pastor Marilyn Christmore of Saffordville UMC of the Flint Hills
District of the Kansas East Conference
Pastor Mike Gaddie of Wichita At The Well Fellowship of the
Wichita West District of the Kansas West Conference
Pastor Dick Webster of Waterloo UMC of the Missouri River
District of the Nebraska Conference
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This Week's Lectionary
1st Sunday after
Christmas Day – White or Gold
Isaiah 63: God’s Mercy Remembered
7 I will recount the gracious deeds of the Lord,
the praiseworthy acts
of the Lord,
because of all that the Lord has done for us,
and the great favor to
the house of Israel
that he has shown them according to his mercy,
according to the
abundance of his steadfast love.
8 For he said, “Surely they are my people,
children who will not
deal falsely”;
and he became their savior
9 in all their
distress.
It was no messenger[a] or angel
but his presence that
saved them;[b]
in his love and in his pity he redeemed them;
he lifted them up and
carried them all the days of old.
Footnotes:
a. Isaiah 63:9 Gk: Heb anguish
b. Isaiah 63:9 Or savior. 9 In all their distress he was
distressed; the angel of his presence saved them;
Psalm 148: Praise for God’s Universal Glory
1: Praise the Lord!
Praise the Lord from the heavens;
praise him in the
heights!
2 Praise him, all his angels;
praise him, all his
host!
3 Praise him, sun and moon;
praise him, all you
shining stars!
4 Praise him, you highest heavens,
and you waters above
the heavens!
5 Let them praise the name of the Lord,
for he commanded and
they were created.
6 He established them forever and ever;
he fixed their bounds,
which cannot be passed.[a]
7 Praise the Lord from the earth,
you sea monsters and
all deeps,
8 fire and hail, snow and frost,
stormy wind fulfilling
his command!
9 Mountains and all hills,
fruit trees and all
cedars!
10 Wild animals and all cattle,
creeping things and
flying birds!
11 Kings of the earth and all peoples,
princes and all rulers
of the earth!
12 Young men and women alike,
old and young
together!
13 Let them praise the name of the Lord,
for his name alone is
exalted;
his glory is above
earth and heaven.
14 He has raised up a horn for his people,
praise for all his
faithful,
for the people of
Israel who are close to him.
Praise the Lord!
Footnotes:
a. Psalm 148:6 Or he set a law that cannot pass away
Hebrews 2:10 It was fitting that God,[a] for whom and through
whom all things exist, in bringing many children to glory, should make the
pioneer of their salvation perfect through sufferings. 11 For the one who
sanctifies and those who are sanctified all have one Father.[b] For this reason
Jesus[c] is not ashamed to call them brothers and sisters,[d] 12 saying,
“I will proclaim your name to my brothers and sisters,[e]
in the midst of the
congregation I will praise you.”
13 And again,
“I will put my trust in him.”
And again,
“Here am I and the children whom God has given me.”
14 Since, therefore, the children share flesh and blood, he
himself likewise shared the same things, so that through death he might destroy
the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, 15 and free those who
all their lives were held in slavery by the fear of death. 16 For it is clear
that he did not come to help angels, but the descendants of Abraham. 17
Therefore he had to become like his brothers and sisters[f] in every respect,
so that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God,
to make a sacrifice of atonement for the sins of the people. 18 Because he
himself was tested by what he suffered, he is able to help those who are being
tested.
Footnotes:
a. Hebrews 2:10 Gk he
b. Hebrews 2:11 Gk are all of one
c. Hebrews 2:11 Gk he
d. Hebrews 2:11 Gk brothers
e. Hebrews 2:12 Gk brothers
f. Hebrews 2:17 Gk brothers
Matthew 2: The Escape to Egypt
13 Now after they had left, an angel of the Lord appeared to
Joseph in a dream and said, “Get up, take the child and his mother, and flee to
Egypt, and remain there until I tell you; for Herod is about to search for the
child, to destroy him.” 14 Then Joseph[a] got up, took the child and his mother
by night, and went to Egypt, 15 and remained there until the death of Herod.
This was to fulfill what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet, “Out
of Egypt I have called my son.”
The Massacre of the Infants
16 When Herod saw that he had been tricked by the wise men,[b]
he was infuriated, and he sent and killed all the children in and around
Bethlehem who were two years old or under, according to the time that he had
learned from the wise men.[c] 17 Then was fulfilled what had been spoken
through the prophet Jeremiah:
18 “A voice was heard in Ramah,
wailing and loud
lamentation,
Rachel weeping for her children;
she refused to be
consoled, because they are no more.”
The Return from Egypt
19 When Herod died, an angel of the Lord suddenly appeared in a
dream to Joseph in Egypt and said, 20 “Get up, take the child and his mother,
and go to the land of Israel, for those who were seeking the child’s life are
dead.” 21 Then Joseph[d] got up, took the child and his mother, and went to the
land of Israel. 22 But when he heard that Archelaus was ruling over Judea in
place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there. And after being warned in
a dream, he went away to the district of Galilee. 23 There he made his home in
a town called Nazareth, so that what had been spoken through the prophets might
be fulfilled, “He will be called a Nazorean.”
Footnotes:
a. Matthew 2:14 Gk he
b. Matthew 2:16 Or astrologers; Gk magi
c. Matthew 2:16 Or astrologers; Gk magi
d. Matthew 2:21 Gk he
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Today's Devotional:
Psalm 96: Praise to God Who Comes in Judgement
1 O sing to the Lord a new song;
sing to the Lord, all
the earth.
2 Sing to the Lord, bless his name;
tell of his salvation
from day to day.
3 Declare his glory among the nations,
his marvelous works
among all the peoples.
4 For great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised;
he is to be revered
above all gods.
5 For all the gods of the peoples are idols,
but the Lord made the
heavens.
6 Honor and majesty are before him;
strength and beauty
are in his sanctuary.
7 Ascribe to the Lord, O families of the peoples,
ascribe to the Lord
glory and strength.
8 Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name;
bring an offering, and
come into his courts.
9 Worship the Lord in holy splendor;
tremble before him,
all the earth.
10 Say among the nations, “The Lord is king!
The world is firmly
established; it shall never be moved.
He will judge the
peoples with equity.”
11 Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice;
let the sea roar, and
all that fills it;
12 let the field
exult, and everything in it.
Then shall all the trees of the forest sing for joy
13 before the Lord;
for he is coming,
for he is coming to
judge the earth.
He will judge the world with righteousness,
and the peoples with his
truth.
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Great Churches. Great Leaders. Great Disciples. Transformed
World.
Contact Information:
Great Plains Episcopal Office
9440 E Boston, Suite 160
Wichita KS 67207
316-686-0600
800-745-2350
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