Bible Readings for November 8, 2017

Today our passages are Ezekiel 18:1–19:14; Hebrews 9:1-10; Psalm 106:32-48; and Proverbs 27:10.  The readings are from the Contemporary English Version. If you find these readings helpful, please consider sending an offering directly to Cove Presbyterian Church, 3404 Main Steet, Weirton, West Virginia or through PayPal by using the link below.

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Ezekiel 18-19:14 (Contemporary English Version)

Ezekiel 18

Those Who Sin Will Die

 ¹The LORD said:    ²Ezekiel, I hear the people of Israel using the old saying,
   "Sour grapes eaten by parents
   leave a sour taste
   in the mouths
   of their children."
    ³Now tell them that I am the LORD God, and as surely as I live, that saying will no longer be used in Israel. ⁴The lives of all people belong to me--parents as well as children. Only those who sin will be put to death.
    ⁵Suppose there is a truly good man who always does what is fair and right. ⁶He refuses to eat meat sacrificed to foreign gods at local shrines or to worship Israel's idols. He doesn't have sex with someone else's wife or with a woman having her monthly period. ⁷He never cheats or robs anyone and always returns anything taken as security for a loan; he gives food and clothes to the poor ⁸and doesn't charge interest when lending money. He refuses to do anything evil; he is fair to everyone ⁹and faithfully obeys my laws and teachings. This man is good, and I promise he will live.
    ¹⁰But suppose this good man has an evil son who is violent and commits sins ¹¹his father never did. He eats meat at local shrines, has sex with someone else's wife, ¹²cheats the poor, and robs people. He keeps what is given to him as security for a loan. He worships idols, does disgusting things, ¹³and charges high interest when lending money. An evil man like that will certainly not live. He is the one who has done these horrible sins, so it's his own fault that he will be put to death.
    ¹⁴But suppose this evil man has a son who sees his father do these things and refuses to act like him. ¹⁵He doesn't eat meat at local shrines or worship Israel's idols, and he doesn't have sex with someone else's wife. ¹⁶He never cheats or robs anyone and doesn't even demand security for a loan. He gives food and clothes to the poor ¹⁷and refuses to do anything evil ^a] or to charge interest. And he obeys all my laws and teachings. Such a man will live. His own father sinned, but this good man will not be put to death for the sins of his father. ¹⁸It is his father who will die for cheating and robbing and doing evil. ¹⁹You may wonder why a son isn't punished for the sins of his father. It is because the son does what is right and obeys my laws. ²⁰Only those who sin will be put to death. Children won't suffer for the sins of their parents, and parents won't suffer for the sins of their children. Good people will be rewarded for what they do, and evil people will be punished for what they do.
    ²¹Suppose wicked people stop sinning and start obeying my laws and doing right. They won't be put to death. ²²All their sins will be forgiven, and they will live because they did right. ²³I, the LORD God, don't like to see wicked people die. I enjoy seeing them turn from their sins and live.
    ²⁴But when good people start sinning and doing disgusting things, will they live? No! All their good deeds will be forgotten, and they will be put to death because of their sins.
    ²⁵You people of Israel accuse me of being unfair! But listen--I'm not unfair; you are! ²⁶If good people start doing evil, they must be put to death, because they have sinned. ²⁷And if wicked people start doing right, they will save themselves from punishment. ²⁸They will think about what they've done and stop sinning, and so they won't be put to death. ²⁹But you still say that I am unfair. You are the ones who have done wrong and are unfair!
    ³⁰I will judge each of you for what you've done. So stop sinning, or else you will certainly be punished. ³¹Give up your evil ways and start thinking pure thoughts. And be faithful to me! Do you really want to be put to death for your sins? ³²I, the LORD God, don't want to see that happen to anyone. So stop sinning and live!
   

Ezekiel 19

A Funeral Song for Israel's Leaders

The LORD said:

 ¹Ezekiel, sing a funeral song for two of Israel's leaders: ^b] 2Your mother was a brave lioness   who raised her cubs
   among lions.
    ³She taught one of them to hunt,
   and he learned to eat people.
    ⁴When the nations heard of him,
   they trapped him in a pit,
   then they used hooks
   to drag him to Egypt.
    ⁵His mother waited
   for him to return.
   But soon she lost all hope
   and raised another cub,
   who also became fierce.
    ⁶He hunted with other lions
   and learned to eat people.
    ⁷He destroyed fortresses ^c] and ruined towns;
   his mighty roar
   terrified everyone.
    ⁸Nations plotted to kill him,
   and people came from all over
   to spread out a net
   and catch him in a trap.
    ⁹They put him in a cage
   and took him to Babylonia.
   The lion was locked away,
   so that his mighty roar
   would never again be heard
   on Israel's hills.
    ¹⁰Your mother was a vine ^d] growing near a stream.
   There was plenty of water,
   so she was filled with branches
   and with lots of fruit.
    ¹¹Her strong branches
   became symbols of authority,
   and she was taller
   than all other trees--
   everyone could see how strong
   and healthy she was.
    ¹²But in anger, I pulled her up
   by the roots
   and threw her to the ground,
   where the scorching desert wind
   dried out her fruit.
   Her strong branches wilted
   and burned up.
    ¹³Then she was planted
   in a hot, dry desert,
    ¹⁴where her stem caught fire,
   and flames burned
   her branches and fruit.
   Not one strong branch is left;
   she is stripped bare.
   This funeral song must be sung with sorrow.
   

Footnotes:

1. Ezekiel 18:17 evil: One ancient translation; Hebrew "for the poor."
2. Ezekiel 19:1 two of Israel's leaders: Probably Jehoahaz (ruled three months in 609 B.C.) and Jehoiachin (ruled three months in 598 B.C.) or Zedekiah (598-586 B.C.).
3. Ezekiel 19:7 He destroyed fortresses: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
4. Ezekiel 19:10 Your mother was a vine: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.

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Hebrews 9:1-10 (Contemporary English Version)

Hebrews 9

The Tent in Heaven

 ¹The first promise that was made included rules for worship and a tent for worship here on earth. ²The first part of the tent was called the holy place, and a lampstand, a table, and the sacred loaves of bread were kept there.    ³Behind the curtain was the most holy place. ⁴The gold altar that was used for burning incense was in this holy place. The gold-covered sacred chest was also there, and inside it were three things. First, there was a gold jar filled with manna. ^a]Then there was Aaron's walking stick that sprouted. ^b] Finally, there were the flat stones with the Ten Commandments written on them. ⁵On top of the chest were the glorious creatures with wings ^c] opened out above the place of mercy. ^d] Now isn't the time to go into detail about these things. ⁶But this is how everything was when the priests went each day into the first part of the tent to do their duties. ⁷However, only the high priest could go into the second part of the tent, and he went in only once a year. Each time he carried blood to offer for his sins and for any sins that the people had committed without meaning to.
    ⁸All of this is the Holy Spirit's way of saying that no one could enter the most holy place while the tent was still the place of worship. ⁹This also has a meaning for today. It shows that we cannot make our consciences clear by offering gifts and sacrifices. ¹⁰These rules are merely about such things as eating and drinking and ceremonies for washing ourselves. And rules about physical things will last only until the time comes to change them for something better.
   

Footnotes:

1. Hebrews 9:4 manna: When the people of Israel were wandering through the desert, the Lord provided them with food that could be made into thin wafers. This food was called manna, which in Hebrew means "What is it?"
2. Hebrews 9:4 Aaron's walking stick that sprouted: According to Numbers 17.1-11, Aaron's walking stick sprouted and produced almonds to show that the Lord was pleased with him and Moses.
3. Hebrews 9:5 glorious creatures with wings: Two of these creatures (called "cherubim" in Hebrew and Greek) with outspread wings were on top of the sacred chest and were symbols of God's throne.
4. Hebrews 9:5 place of mercy: The lid of the sacred chest, which was thought to be God's throne on earth.

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Psalm 106:32-48 (Contemporary English Version)

³²At Meribah Spring ^a] they turned against you
   and made you furious.
    ³³Then Moses got into trouble
   for speaking in anger.
    ³⁴Our LORD, they disobeyed you
   by refusing to destroy
   the nations.
    ³⁵Instead they were friendly
   with those foreigners
   and followed their customs.
    ³⁶Then they fell into the trap
   of worshiping idols.
    ³⁷They sacrificed their sons
   and their daughters
   to demons
    ³⁸and to the gods of Canaan.
   Then they poured out the blood
   of these innocent children
   and made the land filthy.
    ³⁹By doing such gruesome things,
   they also became filthy.
    ⁴⁰Finally, LORD, you were angry
   and terribly disgusted
   with your people.
    ⁴¹So you put them in the power
   of nations
   that hated them.
    ⁴²They were mistreated and abused
   by their enemies,
    ⁴³but you saved them
   time after time.
   They were determined to rebel,
   and their sins caused
   their downfall.
    ⁴⁴You answered their prayers
   when they were in trouble.
    ⁴⁵You kept your agreement
   and were so merciful
    ⁴⁶that their enemies
   had pity on them.
    ⁴⁷Save us, LORD God!
   Bring us back
   from among the nations.
   Let us celebrate and shout
   in praise of your holy name.
    ⁴⁸LORD God of Israel,
   you deserve to be praised
   forever and ever.
   Let everyone say, "Amen!
   Shout praises to the LORD!"
   

Footnotes:

1. Psalm 106:32 Meribah Spring: See the note at 81.7.

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Proverbs 27:10 (Contemporary English Version)

¹⁰Don't desert an old friend
   of your family
   or visit your relatives
   when you are in trouble.
   A friend nearby is better
   than relatives far away.

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Verse of the Day

“But if you don't want to worship the LORD, then choose right now! Will you worship the same idols your ancestors did? Or since you're living on land that once belonged to the Amorites, maybe you'll worship their gods. I won't. My family and I are going to worship and obey the LORD!” - Joshua 24:15

Today's passage is from the Contemporary English Version.

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Thought for the Day

English anchoress and an important Christian mystic and theologian, Julian of Norwich wrote, “The fulness of joy is to behold God in all: for by the same blessed Might, Wisdom, and Love, that He made all-thing, to the same end our good Lord leadeth it continually, and thereto Himself shall bring it; and when it is time we shall see it.”

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A Joke for Today

One day at a busy airport, the passengers on a commercial airliner are seated waiting for the pilot to show up so they can get under way.

The pilot and copilot finally appear in the rear of the plane and begin walking up to the cockpit through the center aisle. Both appear to be blind; the pilot is using a white cane, bumping into passengers right and left as he stumbles down the aisle. The copilot is using a guide dog. Both have their eyes covered with sunglasses.

At first, the passengers do not react thinking that it must be some sort of practical joke. After a few minutes though, the engines start revving, and the airplane begins moving down the runway.
The passengers look at each other with some uneasiness. They start whispering among themselves and look desperately to the stewardesses for reassurance.

Yet, the plane starts accelerating rapidly, and people begin panicking. Some passengers are praying, and as the plane gets closer and closer to the end of the runway, the voices are becoming more and more hysterical.

When the plane has less than twenty feet of runway left, there is a sudden change in the pitch of the shouts as everyone screams at once. At the very last moment, the plane lifts off and is airborne.

Up in the cockpit, the copilot breathes a sigh of relief and tells the pilot: "You know, one of these days the passengers aren't going to scream, and we aren't going to know when to take off!"

Bible Readings for May 13, 2014

Today our passages are 1 Samuel 13:23–14:52; John 7:30-53; Psalm 109:1-31; and Proverbs 15:5-7. The readings are from The Message by Eugene H. Peterson. If you missed a day, you can find all the readings at our blog, The Bible in a Year.

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1 Samuel 13:23-14:52 (The Message)

 ²³ A patrol of Philistines took up a position at Micmash Pass.

1 Samuel 14

 ^1-3 Later that day, Jonathan, Saul's son, said to his armor bearer, "Come on, let's go over to the Philistine garrison patrol on the other side of the pass." But he didn't tell his father. Meanwhile, Saul was taking it easy under the pomegranate tree at the threshing floor on the edge of town at Geba (Gibeah). There were about six hundred men with him. Ahijah, wearing the priestly Ephod, was also there. (Ahijah was the son of Ahitub, brother of Ichabod, son of Phinehas, who was the son of Eli the priest of God at Shiloh.) No one there knew that Jonathan had gone off.

 ^4-5 The pass that Jonathan was planning to cross over to the Philistine garrison was flanked on either side by sharp rock outcroppings, cliffs named Bozez and Seneh. The cliff to the north faced Micmash; the cliff to the south faced Geba (Gibeah).

 ⁶ Jonathan said to his armor bearer, "Come on now, let's go across to these uncircumcised pagans. Maybe God will work for us. There's no rule that says God can only deliver by using a big army. No one can stop God from saving when he sets his mind to it."

 ⁷ His armor bearer said, "Go ahead. Do what you think best. I'm with you all the way."

 ^8-10 Jonathan said, "Here's what we'll do. We'll cross over the pass and let the men see we're there. If they say, 'Halt! Don't move until we check you out,' we'll stay put and not go up. But if they say, 'Come on up,' we'll go right up—and we'll know God has given them to us. That will be our sign."

 ¹¹ So they did it, the two of them. They stepped into the open where they could be seen by the Philistine garrison. The Philistines shouted out, "Look at that! The Hebrews are crawling out of their holes!"

 ¹² Then they yelled down to Jonathan and his armor bearer, "Come on up here! We've got a thing or two to show you!"

 ¹³ Jonathan shouted to his armor bearer, "Up! Follow me! God has turned them over to Israel!" Jonathan scrambled up on all fours, his armor bearer right on his heels. When the Philistines came running up to them, he knocked them flat, his armor bearer right behind finishing them off, bashing their heads in with stones.

 ^14-15 In this first bloody encounter, Jonathan and his armor bearer killed about twenty men. That set off a terrific upheaval in both camp and field, the soldiers in the garrison and the raiding squad badly shaken up, the ground itself shuddering—panic like you've never seen before!

Straight to the Battle

^16-18 Saul's sentries posted back at Geba (Gibeah) in Benjamin saw the confusion and turmoil raging in the camp. Saul commanded, "Line up and take the roll. See who's here and who's missing." When they called the roll, Jonathan and his armor bearer turned up missing.

 ^18-19 Saul ordered Ahijah, "Bring the priestly Ephod. Let's see what God has to say here." (Ahijah was responsible for the Ephod in those days.) While Saul was in conversation with the priest, the upheaval in the Philistine camp became greater and louder. Then Saul interrupted Ahijah: "Put the Ephod away."

 ^20-23 Saul immediately called his army together and they went straight to the battle. When they got there they found total confusion—Philistines swinging their swords wildly, killing each other. Hebrews who had earlier defected to the Philistine camp came back. They now wanted to be with Israel under Saul and Jonathan. Not only that, but when all the Israelites who had been hiding out in the backwoods of Ephraim heard that the Philistines were running for their lives, they came out and joined the chase. God saved Israel! What a day!

    The fighting moved on to Beth Aven. The whole army was behind Saul now—ten thousand strong!—with the fighting scattering into all the towns throughout the hills of Ephraim.

 ²⁴ Saul did something really foolish that day. He addressed the army: "A curse on the man who eats anything before evening, before I've wreaked vengeance on my enemies!" None of them ate a thing all day.

 ^25-27 There were honeycombs here and there in the fields. But no one so much as put his finger in the honey to taste it, for the soldiers to a man feared the curse. But Jonathan hadn't heard his father put the army under oath. He stuck the tip of his staff into some honey and ate it. Refreshed, his eyes lit up with renewed vigor.

 ²⁸ A soldier spoke up, "Your father has put the army under solemn oath, saying, 'A curse on the man who eats anything before evening!' No wonder the soldiers are drooping!"

 ^29-30 Jonathan said, "My father has imperiled the country. Just look how quickly my energy has returned since I ate a little of this honey! It would have been a lot better, believe me, if the soldiers had eaten their fill of whatever they took from the enemy. Who knows how much worse we could have whipped them!"

 ^31-32 They killed Philistines that day all the way from Micmash to Aijalon, but the soldiers ended up totally exhausted. Then they started plundering. They grabbed anything in sight—sheep, cattle, calves—and butchered it where they found it. Then they glutted themselves—meat, blood, the works.

 ^33-34 Saul was told, "Do something! The soldiers are sinning against God. They're eating meat with the blood still in it!"

    Saul said, "You're biting the hand that feeds you! Roll a big rock over here—now!" He continued, "Disperse among the troops and tell them, 'Bring your oxen and sheep to me and butcher them properly here. Then you can feast to your heart's content. Please don't sin against God by eating meat with the blood still in it.'"

    And so they did. That night each soldier, one after another, led his animal there to be butchered.

 ³⁵ That's the story behind Saul's building an altar to God. It's the first altar to God that he built.

Find Out What God Thinks

³⁶ Saul said, "Let's go after the Philistines tonight! We can spend the night looting and plundering. We won't leave a single live Philistine!"

    "Sounds good to us," said the troops. "Let's do it!"

    But the priest slowed them down: "Let's find out what God thinks about this."

 ³⁷ So Saul prayed to God, "Shall I go after the Philistines? Will you put them in Israel's hand?" God didn't answer him on that occasion.

 ^38-39 Saul then said, "All army officers, step forward. Some sin has been committed this day. We're going to find out what it is and who did it! As God lives, Israel's Savior God, whoever sinned will die, even if it should turn out to be Jonathan, my son!"

    Nobody said a word.

 ⁴⁰ Saul said to the Israelites, "You line up over on that side, and I and Jonathan my son will stand on this side."

    The army agreed, "Fine. Whatever you say."

 ⁴¹ Then Saul prayed to God, "O God of Israel, why haven't you answered me today? Show me the truth. If the sin is in me or Jonathan, then, O God, give the sign Urim. But if the sin is in the army of Israel, give the sign Thummim."

    The Urim sign turned up and pointed to Saul and Jonathan. That cleared the army.

 ⁴² Next Saul said, "Cast the lots between me and Jonathan—and death to the one God points to!"

    The soldiers protested, "No—this is not right. Stop this!" But Saul pushed on anyway. They cast the lots, Urim and Thummim, and the lot fell to Jonathan.

 ⁴³ Saul confronted Jonathan. "What did you do? Tell me!"

    Jonathan said, "I licked a bit of honey off the tip of the staff I was carrying. That's it—and for that I'm to die?"

 ⁴⁴ Saul said, "Yes. Jonathan most certainly will die. It's out of my hands— I can't go against God, can I?"

 ⁴⁵ The soldiers rose up: "Jonathan—die? Never! He's just carried out this stunning salvation victory for Israel. As surely as God lives, not a hair on his head is going to be harmed. Why, he's been working hand-in-hand with God all day!" The soldiers rescued Jonathan and he didn't die.

 ⁴⁶ Saul pulled back from chasing the Philistines, and the Philistines went home.

 ^47-48 Saul extended his rule, capturing neighboring kingdoms. He fought enemies on every front—Moab, Ammon, Edom, the king of Zobah, the Philistines. Wherever he turned, he came up with a victory. He became invincible! He smashed Amalek, freeing Israel from the savagery and looting.

 ^49-51 Saul's sons were Jonathan, Ishvi, and Malki-Shua. His daughters were Merab, the firstborn, and Michal, the younger. Saul's wife was Ahinoam, daughter of Ahimaaz. Abner son of Ner was commander of Saul's army (Ner was Saul's uncle). Kish, Saul's father, and Ner, Abner's father, were the sons of Abiel.

 ⁵² All through Saul's life there was war, bitter and relentless, with the Philistines. Saul conscripted every strong and brave man he laid eyes on.

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John 7:30-53 (The Message)

 ^30-31They were looking for a way to arrest him, but not a hand was laid on him because it wasn't yet God's time. Many from the crowd committed themselves in faith to him, saying, "Will the Messiah, when he comes, provide better or more convincing evidence than this?"

 ^32-34The Pharisees, alarmed at this seditious undertow going through the crowd, teamed up with the high priests and sent their police to arrest him. Jesus rebuffed them: "I am with you only a short time. Then I go on to the One who sent me. You will look for me, but you won't find me. Where I am, you can't come."

 ^35-36The Jews put their heads together. "Where do you think he is going that we won't be able to find him? Do you think he is about to travel to the Greek world to teach the Jews? What is he talking about, anyway: 'You will look for me, but you won't find me,' and 'Where I am, you can't come'?"

 ^37-39On the final and climactic day of the Feast, Jesus took his stand. He cried out, "If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. Rivers of living water will brim and spill out of the depths of anyone who believes in me this way, just as the Scripture says." (He said this in regard to the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were about to receive. The Spirit had not yet been given because Jesus had not yet been glorified.)

 ^40-44Those in the crowd who heard these words were saying, "This has to be the Prophet." Others said, "He is the Messiah!" But others were saying, "The Messiah doesn't come from Galilee, does he? Don't the Scriptures tell us that the Messiah comes from David's line and from Bethlehem, David's village?" So there was a split in the crowd over him. Some went so far as wanting to arrest him, but no one laid a hand on him.

 ⁴⁵That's when the Temple police reported back to the high priests and Pharisees, who demanded, "Why didn't you bring him with you?"

 ⁴⁶The police answered, "Have you heard the way he talks? We've never heard anyone speak like this man."

 ^47-49The Pharisees said, "Are you carried away like the rest of the rabble? You don't see any of the leaders believing in him, do you? Or any from the Pharisees? It's only this crowd, ignorant of God's Law, that is taken in by him—and damned."

 ^50-51Nicodemus, the man who had come to Jesus earlier and was both a ruler and a Pharisee, spoke up. "Does our Law decide about a man's guilt without first listening to him and finding out what he is doing?"

 ^52-53But they cut him off. "Are you also campaigning for the Galilean? Examine the evidence. See if any prophet ever comes from Galilee."

   Then they all went home.

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Psalm 109:1-31 (The Message)

Psalm 109

A David Prayer

 ^1-5 My God, don't turn a deaf ear to my hallelujah prayer. Liars are pouring out invective on me;
   Their lying tongues are like a pack of dogs out to get me,
      barking their hate, nipping my heels—and for no reason!
   I loved them and now they slander me—yes, me!—
      and treat my prayer like a crime;
   They return my good with evil,
      they return my love with hate.

 ^6-20 Send the Evil One to accuse my accusing judge;
      dispatch Satan to prosecute him.
   When he's judged, let the verdict be "Guilty,"
      and when he prays, let his prayer turn to sin.
   Give him a short life,
      and give his job to somebody else.
   Make orphans of his children,
      dress his wife in widow's weeds;
   Turn his children into begging street urchins,
      evicted from their homes—homeless.
   May the bank foreclose and wipe him out,
      and strangers, like vultures, pick him clean.
   May there be no one around to help him out,
      no one willing to give his orphans a break.
   Chop down his family tree
      so that nobody even remembers his name.
   But erect a memorial to the sin of his father,
      and make sure his mother's name is there, too—
   Their sins recorded forever before God,
      but they themselves sunk in oblivion.
   That's all he deserves since he was never once kind,
      hounded the afflicted and heartbroken to their graves.
   Since he loved cursing so much,
      let curses rain down;
   Since he had no taste for blessing,
      let blessings flee far from him.
   He dressed up in curses like a fine suit of clothes;
      he drank curses, took his baths in curses.
   So give him a gift—a costume of curses;
      he can wear curses every day of the week!
   That's what they'll get, those out to get me—
      an avalanche of just deserts from God.

 ^21-25 Oh, God, my Lord, step in;
      work a miracle for me—you can do it!
   Get me out of here—your love is so great!—
      I'm at the end of my rope, my life in ruins.
   I'm fading away to nothing, passing away,
      my youth gone, old before my time.
   I'm weak from hunger and can hardly stand up,
      my body a rack of skin and bones.
   I'm a joke in poor taste to those who see me;
      they take one look and shake their heads.

 ^26-29 Help me, oh help me, God, my God,
      save me through your wonderful love;
   Then they'll know that your hand is in this,
      that you, God, have been at work.
   Let them curse all they want;
      you do the blessing.
   Let them be jeered by the crowd when they stand up,
      followed by cheers for me, your servant.
   Dress my accusers in clothes dirty with shame,
      discarded and humiliating old ragbag clothes.

 ^30-31 My mouth's full of great praise for God,
      I'm singing his hallelujahs surrounded by crowds,
   For he's always at hand to take the side of the needy,
      to rescue a life from the unjust judge.

 

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Proverbs 15:5-7 (The Message)

 ⁵ Moral dropouts won't listen to their elders;
   welcoming correction is a mark of good sense.

 ⁶ The lives of God-loyal people flourish;
   a misspent life is soon bankrupt.

 ⁷ Perceptive words spread knowledge;
   fools are hollow—there's nothing to them.

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Verse of the Day

“Charm can be deceiving, and beauty fades away, but a woman who honors the LORD deserves to be praised.” - Proverbs 31:30

Today's passage is from the Contemporary English Version.

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Thought for the Day

 

English anchoress who is regarded as one of the most important Christian mystics, Julian of Norwich wrote, “Charity keepeth us in Faith and Hope, and Hope leadeth us in Charity. And in the end all shall be Charity.”