Daily Office Readings for Friday of Week 1 of Epiphany: Year 2
Morning, Psalm 16, and 17; Evening, Psalm 22;
Genesis 6:1 to 8; Hebrews 3:12 to 19; John 2:1 to 12:
“The Lord saw that the wickedness of humankind was great in the earth, and that every inclination of the thoughts of their hearts was only evil continually.” (Genesis 6:5)
Full disclosure, I am not a Bible literalist. But I do believe that within most of our Bible stories, and within some of the fake facts, are real truths. One such truth is that left unschooled by good parents, preachers and school teachers of love, our moral compasses will point south; that is, to immorality. We must be vigilant about being good and teaching what is good, Nephilim notwithstanding.
This is a repeated Biblical lesson for us today. From our Hebrews reading for today we get the same instruction: “Take care, brothers and sisters, that none of you may have an evil, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called ‘today’, so that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. (Hebrews 3:12 and 13)
While the preacher to the Hebrews reminds us of Moses and our Genesis reading shows signs of hope with the coming of Noah, the Mother of our Lord Jesus preaches the perfect, albeit brief, sermon. She tells us, the servants of the Lord, to “do whatever he tells you,” (John 2:5). Our Lord Jesus is God’s final act of salvation, even beyond Noah and Moses. I believe God still loves creation and wants to save it, and ourselves with it.
“Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all their multitude. And on the seventh day God finished the work that he had done, and he rested on the seventh day from all the work that he had done” (Genesis 2:1 and 2). So, for this evening and tomorrow day my friends, Shabbat Shalom.
What is Shabbat? Intro to the Jewish Sabbath – YouTube
As we listen to what the Spirit of God is saying to us, let us live to love and to serve, and to teach others to love and to serve, while pondering anew what the Almighty can do. John
Let us pray: For the Human Family (BCP p. 815)
O God, you made us in your own image and redeemed us through Jesus your Son: Look with compassion on the whole human family; take away the arrogance and hatred which infect our hearts; break down the walls that separate us; unite us in bonds of love; and work through our struggle and confusion to accomplish your purposes on earth; that, in your good time, all nations and races may serve you in harmony around your heavenly throne; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
onewhoponders 