DAILY OFFICE

Daily scripture readings from the 1979 Book of Common Prayer

Monday, November 21

Today's readings include passages from Psalms, Zechariah, Galatians and Luke.

Psalm 106

1 Praise the Lord!     Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good,     for his steadfast love endures forever! 2 Who can utter the mighty deeds of the Lord,     or declare all his praise? 3 Blessed are they who observe justice,     who do righteousness at all times! 4 Remember me, O Lord, when you show favor to your people;     help me when you save them, 5 that I may look upon the prosperity of your chosen ones,     that I may rejoice in the gladness of your nation,     that I may glory with your inheritance. 6 Both we and our fathers have sinned;     we have committed iniquity; we have done wickedness. 7 Our fathers, when they were in Egypt,     did not consider your wondrous works;     they did not remember the abundance of your steadfast love,     but rebelled by the sea, at the Red Sea. 8 Yet he saved them for his name's sake,     that he might make known his mighty power. 9 He rebuked the Red Sea, and it became dry,     and he led them through the deep as through a desert. 10 So he saved them from the hand of the foe     and redeemed them from the power of the enemy. 11 And the waters covered their adversaries;     not one of them was left. 12 Then they believed his words;     they sang his praise. 13 But they soon forgot his works;     they did not wait for his counsel. 14 But they had a wanton craving in the wilderness,     and put God to the test in the desert; 15 he gave them what they asked,     but sent a wasting disease among them. 16 When men in the camp were jealous of Moses     and Aaron, the holy one of the Lord, 17 the earth opened and swallowed up Dathan,     and covered the company of Abiram. 18 Fire also broke out in their company;     the flame burned up the wicked. 19 They made a calf in Horeb     and worshiped a metal image. 20 They exchanged the glory of God     for the image of an ox that eats grass. 21 They forgot God, their Savior,     who had done great things in Egypt, 22 wondrous works in the land of Ham,     and awesome deeds by the Red Sea. 23 Therefore he said he would destroy them—     had not Moses, his chosen one,     stood in the breach before him,     to turn away his wrath from destroying them. 24 Then they despised the pleasant land,     having no faith in his promise. 25 They murmured in their tents,     and did not obey the voice of the Lord. 26 Therefore he raised his hand and swore to them     that he would make them fall in the wilderness, 27 and would make their offspring fall among the nations,     scattering them among the lands. 28 Then they yoked themselves to the Baal of Peor,     and ate sacrifices offered to the dead; 29 they provoked the Lord to anger with their deeds,     and a plague broke out among them. 30 Then Phinehas stood up and intervened,     and the plague was stayed. 31 And that was counted to him as righteousness     from generation to generation forever. 32 They angered him at the waters of Meribah,     and it went ill with Moses on their account, 33 for they made his spirit bitter,     and he spoke rashly with his lips. 34 They did not destroy the peoples,     as the Lord commanded them, 35 but they mixed with the nations     and learned to do as they did. 36 They served their idols,     which became a snare to them. 37 They sacrificed their sons     and their daughters to the demons; 38 they poured out innocent blood,     the blood of their sons and daughters,     whom they sacrificed to the idols of Canaan,     and the land was polluted with blood. 39 Thus they became unclean by their acts,     and played the whore in their deeds. 40 Then the anger of the Lord was kindled against his people,     and he abhorred his heritage; 41 he gave them into the hand of the nations,     so that those who hated them ruled over them. 42 Their enemies oppressed them,     and they were brought into subjection under their power. 43 Many times he delivered them,     but they were rebellious in their purposes     and were brought low through their iniquity. 44 Nevertheless, he looked upon their distress,     when he heard their cry. 45 For their sake he remembered his covenant,     and relented according to the abundance of his steadfast love. 46 He caused them to be pitied     by all those who held them captive. 47 Save us, O Lord our God,     and gather us from among the nations,     that we may give thanks to your holy name     and glory in your praise. 48 Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel,     from everlasting to everlasting!     And let all the people say, “Amen!”     Praise the Lord!

 

Zechariah 10

1 Ask rain from the Lord     in the season of the spring rain,     from the Lord who makes the storm clouds,     and he will give them showers of rain,     to everyone the vegetation in the field. 2 For the household gods utter nonsense,     and the diviners see lies;     they tell false dreams     and give empty consolation.     Therefore the people wander like sheep;     they are afflicted for lack of a shepherd. 3 “My anger is hot against the shepherds,     and I will punish the leaders;     for the Lord of hosts cares for his flock, the house of Judah,     and will make them like his majestic steed in battle. 4 From him shall come the cornerstone,     from him the tent peg,     from him the battle bow,     from him every ruler—all of them together. 5 They shall be like mighty men in battle,     trampling the foe in the mud of the streets;     they shall fight because the Lord is with them,     and they shall put to shame the riders on horses. 6 “I will strengthen the house of Judah,     and I will save the house of Joseph.     I will bring them back because I have compassion on them,     and they shall be as though I had not rejected them,     for I am the Lord their God and I will answer them. 7 Then Ephraim shall become like a mighty warrior,     and their hearts shall be glad as with wine.     Their children shall see it and be glad;     their hearts shall rejoice in the Lord. 8 “I will whistle for them and gather them in,     for I have redeemed them,     and they shall be as many as they were before. 9 Though I scattered them among the nations,     yet in far countries they shall remember me,     and with their children they shall live and return. 10 I will bring them home from the land of Egypt,     and gather them from Assyria,     and I will bring them to the land of Gilead and to Lebanon,     till there is no room for them. 11 He shall pass through the sea of troubles     and strike down the waves of the sea,     and all the depths of the Nile shall be dried up.     The pride of Assyria shall be laid low,     and the scepter of Egypt shall depart. 12 I will make them strong in the Lord,     and they shall walk in his name,”     declares the Lord.

 

Galatians 6:1-10

1 Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted. 2 Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. 3 For if anyone thinks he is something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself. 4 But let each one test his own work, and then his reason to boast will be in himself alone and not in his neighbor. 5 For each will have to bear his own load. 6 Let the one who is taught the word share all good things with the one who teaches. 7 Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. 8 For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life. 9 And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up. 10 So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith.

 

Luke 18:15-30

15 Now they were bringing even infants to him that he might touch them. And when the disciples saw it, they rebuked them. 16 But Jesus called them to him, saying, “Let the children come to me, and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of God. 17 Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it.” 18 And a ruler asked him, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” 19 And Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone. 20 You know the commandments: ‘Do not commit adultery, Do not murder, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Honor your father and mother.’” 21 And he said, “All these I have kept from my youth.” 22 When Jesus heard this, he said to him, “One thing you still lack. Sell all that you have and distribute to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.” 23 But when he heard these things, he became very sad, for he was extremely rich. 24 Jesus, seeing that he had become sad, said, “How difficult it is for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God! 25 For it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.” 26 Those who heard it said, “Then who can be saved?” 27 But he said, “What is impossible with man is possible with God.” 28 And Peter said, “See, we have left our homes and followed you.” 29 And he said to them, “Truly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or wife or brothers or parents or children, for the sake of the kingdom of God, 30 who will not receive many times more in this time, and in the age to come eternal life.”

  English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.