The Daily Lectionary for WEDNESDAY, January 1, 2020 — New Year’s Day — 8th Day of Christmas

The Daily Lectionary

WEDNESDAY, January 1, 2020 — New Year’s Day

8th Day of Christmas

(Revised Common Lectionary Year A)

Ecclesiastes 3:1-13

(To everything a season)

Everything Has Its Time
3:1 For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven:

2  a time to be born, and a time to die;
   a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted;
3  a time to kill, and a time to heal;
   a time to break down, and a time to build up;
4  a time to weep, and a time to laugh;
   a time to mourn, and a time to dance;
5  a time to throw away stones, and a time to gather stones
         together;
   a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;
6  a time to seek, and a time to lose;
   a time to keep, and a time to throw away;
7  a time to tear, and a time to sew;
   a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;
8  a time to love, and a time to hate;
   a time for war, and a time for peace.

The God-Given Task
9 What gain have the workers from their toil? 10 I have seen the business that God has given to everyone to be busy with. 11 He has made everything suitable for its time; moreover he has put a sense of past and future into their minds, yet they cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end. 12 I know that there is nothing better for them than to be happy and enjoy themselves as long as they live; 13 moreover, it is God’s gift that all should eat and drink and take pleasure in all their toil.

Psalm 8

(How exalted is your name)

Divine Majesty and Human Dignity
To the leader: according to The Gittith. A Psalm of David.
1  O Lord, our Sovereign,
     how majestic is your name in all the earth!

   You have set your glory above the heavens.
2    Out of the mouths of babes and infants
   you have founded a bulwark because of your foes,
     to silence the enemy and the avenger.

3  When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers,
     the moon and the stars that you have established;
4  what are human beings that you are mindful of them,
     mortals that you care for them?

5  Yet you have made them a little lower than God,
     and crowned them with glory and honor.
6  You have given them dominion over the works of your
         hands;
     you have put all things under their feet,
7  all sheep and oxen,
     and also the beasts of the field,
8  the birds of the air, and the fish of the sea,
     whatever passes along the paths of the seas.

9  O Lord, our Sovereign,
     how majestic is your name in all the earth!

Revelation 21:1-6a

(New heaven and new earth)

The New Heaven and the New Earth
21:1 Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. 2 And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying,

   “See, the home of God is among mortals.
   He will dwell with them;
   they will be his peoples,
   and God himself will be with them;
4  he will wipe every tear from their eyes.
   Death will be no more;
   mourning and crying and pain will be no more,
   for the first things have passed away.”

5 And the one who was seated on the throne said, “See, I am making all things new.” Also he said, “Write this, for these words are trustworthy and true.” 6a Then he said to me, “It is done!

Matthew 25:31-46

(Separation of the sheep and goats)

The Judgment of the Nations
25:31 “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on the throne of his glory. 32 All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats, 33 and he will put the sheep at his right hand and the goats at the left. 34 Then the king will say to those at his right hand, ‘Come, you that are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; 35 for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, 36 I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me.’ 37 Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry and gave you food, or thirsty and gave you something to drink? 38 And when was it that we saw you a stranger and welcomed you, or naked and gave you clothing? 39 And when was it that we saw you sick or in prison and visited you?’ 40 And the king will answer them, ‘Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me.’ 41 Then he will say to those at his left hand, ‘You that are accursed, depart from me into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels; 42 for I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, 43 I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not give me clothing, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.’ 44 Then they also will answer, ‘Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not take care of you?’ 45 Then he will answer them, ‘Truly I tell you, just as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.’ 46 And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”

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 New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Church of Christ in the USA, and used by permission.

The Daily Lectionary is a three-year cyclical lectionary. We are currently in Year A. Beginning with the first Sunday of Advent in 2020, we will be in Year B. The year which ended at Advent 2019 was Year C. 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 what they heard in worship. Revised Common Lectionary Daily Readings, copyright © 2005 Consultation on Common Texts. www.commontexts.org
The Daily Lectionary for WEDNESDAY, January 1, 2020 — New Year’s Day — 8th Day of Christmas
Ecclesiastes 3:1-13; Psalm 8; Revelation 21:1-6a; Matthew 25:31-46

The Daily Prayer for WEDNESDAY, January 1, 2020

The Daily Prayer

WEDNESDAY, January 1, 2020

In 1788 Quakers in Pennsylvania freed their slaves, anticipating the emancipation of chattel slaves in the United States some seventy-five years later. Together with free blacks, abolitionist evangelicals, and slaves who were willing to risk their lives, Quakers led one of America’s most vibrant faith-based justice movements—the Underground Railroad. Committed to simplicity, religious freedom, and nonviolence, Quakers have contributed to movements for peace and justice throughout US history.

George Fox, founder of the Religious Society of Friends, wrote, “People must be led out of captivity up to God. Be patterns, be examples that your carriage and life may preach among all sorts of people, and to them. Then you will come to walk cheerfully over the world, answering that of God in everyone.”

Lord, help us answer your call as readily as our father Abram, that we might extend your blessing throughout our community. Remind us that the places where we find you become altars in our world. Amen.

Verse of the Day for WEDNESDAY, January 1, 2020

2 Corinthians 5:17

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!

Read all of 2 Corinthians 5

Listen to 2 Corinthians 5

Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Un dia a la Vez - Miércoles 01 de enero de 2020

Tus triunfos están en Dios

Deléitate en el Señor, y él te concederá los deseos de tu corazón.

—Salmo 37:4 (NVI)

El primer versículo que aprendí cuando conocí a Jesús fue: «Deléitate en el Señor». Como todo lo nuevo, me tomé un tiempo para entender lo profundas que eran estas palabras. Este ha sido un versículo que me ha seguido durante los últimos catorce años de mi vida.

Luego, un día entendí que deleitarme en el Señor era estar siempre en el gozo de Dios, feliz ante su presencia y sirviéndole a Él. Desde entonces, en mis oraciones ha estado presente que la clave es amar a mi Dios con todo el corazón, servirle con lo mejor que tengo, gozarme en su amor sin importar las situaciones por las que esté pasando y tener siempre la esperanza de que mi vida es para servirle y trabajar para Él. Así que ahora estoy segura de que eso me da una enorme recompensa. No sé cuándo ni cómo, pero Dios me concederá los deseos de mi corazón, ya que esa es la promesa de la segunda parte del versículo: «Y él te concederá los deseos de tu corazón».

Por eso quiero que hoy, cuando estaremos como familia llevando este libro cada día, tú puedas comprender y aplicarlo a tu vida.

Entrégale a Dios todo este nuevo día, este nuevo año. Entrégale tus sueños, tus preocupaciones, tus negocios, tu trabajo, tus relaciones, tu familia, tu economía, tu situación migratoria. En fin, entrégate por completo a Dios. Deja que Él sea el piloto de esa nave que es tu vida y preocúpate de sus negocios. Es decir, búscalo, ten momentos de oración, asiste a una iglesia en la que puedas seguir creciendo de manera espiritual y Él, a cambio, se ocupará de todas tus necesidades. Pondrá orden en tu vida y te bendecirá.

Un Día a la Vez Copyright © by Claudia Pinzón
Como todo lo nuevo, me tomé un tiempo para entender lo profundas que eran estas palabras.

Standing Strong Through the Storm - Wednesday, January 1, 2020

BE A LIGHTHOUSE

I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness.

—John 12:46 (NIV)

One of the strongest images of standing strong in a storm is the lighthouse. In the era before radar, satellite navigation and GPS systems, lighthouses were vital to protect ships from crashing onto rocks, shoals, and shores. Building lighthouses can be considered one of man’s most noble endeavors. Since the beginning of seafaring, families and friends have lit bonfires at night to guide sailors home.

George Bernard Shaw said, “I can think of no other edifice constructed by man as altruistic as a lighthouse. They were built only to serve.”

And evangelist D.L. Moody commented, “Lighthouses don’t fire cannons to call attention to their shining—they just shine.”

Jesus used this imagery of light to describe our role in His kingdom. We are the light of the world, He said, after claiming Himself to be the true light. Therefore we function much like a lighthouse, both internally and externally.

The first design for a lighthouse is the internal function of generating light. Early lighthouses used a literal fire that had to be constantly fed and watched. Later electric lights were utilized and ultimately laser lights. But this light still has to be internally projected.

So we too as followers of Jesus project internal light, the outer expression of the inner life under the control of the Holy Spirit.

The other aspect of a modern lighthouse is that it also is an external reflector. Over the years of improvements, revolving lenses have been developed to reflect that internally generated light further into the darkness.

As the moon reflects the light of the sun, so we reflect the light of the Son in a world of darkness.

And finally, lighthouses remind us of God’s love. Like the bright shining beam of a lighthouse, His love reaches out…piercing through the darkness of any storm.

RESPONSE: Today and throughout this year I will be a lighthouse for Jesus, projecting His inner light and reflecting His light externally.

PRAYER: Lord, may Your love and Your light pierce the darkness of the world around me as I stand strong and faithful for You like a lighthouse, today and through the year ahead.

Standing Strong Through The Storm (SSTS), a daily devotional message by SSTS author Paul Estabrooks. © 2011 Open Doors International. Used by permission.

LHM Daily Devotions - January 1, 2020 - INCOMPREHENSIBLE

"INCOMPREHENSIBLE"

Jan. 1, 2020

And at the end of eight days, when He was circumcised, He was called Jesus, the Name given by the angel before He was conceived in the womb.

—Luke 2:21 (ESV)

It is not easy to see your child suffer. I remember taking our newborn to the doctor to get his first shots. That was not a fun experience for parents or child!

Mary and Joseph must have had a difficult time with Jesus' circumcision as well. They had to go through with it, of course; this was a requirement of God's law, and it was necessary for Jesus to be properly brought into God's people. In many ways, circumcision was like Baptism; it was not a thing Jewish parents could imagine leaving out.

And Jesus? Well, no baby could possibly like the pain of circumcision. And yet this was a weird case, for what we have here is a baby who is God Himself come as a human being. In fact, the same God who commanded circumcision to His Israelite people is now having to suffer it under His own command!

It's mind-boggling. And yet it's a good preview of the future, isn't it? Because this is exactly what Jesus is going to do on the cross, 30-some years in the future. He is going to suffer and die a death that He Himself chose before He was ever incarnate as a human being. God chooses to suffer what God ordained ahead of time. It blows my mind.

No wonder they called His Name Jesus. It means "The Lord is Savior," and that's exactly what Jesus is. He is our Savior from all eternity, as God who planned all along to save us. And He is our Savior in human time, in His life, death, and resurrection—where He carried out the plan made from eternity.

David had it right when he said, "Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high; I cannot attain it" (Psalm 139:6). I just can't grasp the wonder of what Jesus has done for us. But that doesn't matter. He knows what He is doing; and He invites us, not to understand, but to trust Him.

THE PRAYER: Lord Jesus, help me to trust myself to You, my Savior. Amen.

Reflection Questions:

• What is one thing in your life that you have a hard time understanding?
• What is one thing about God that you have a hard time understanding?
• How do you deal with that thing you cannot understand about God?

Advent Devotions were written by Dr. Kari Vo. Use these devotions in your newsletter and bulletin! Used by permission; all rights reserved by the Int'l LLL (LHM).
What is one thing in your life that you have a hard time understanding?

CPTLN devocional del 01 de enero de 2020 - Incomprensible

ADVIENTO—NAVIDAD 2019

Incomprensible

01 de Enero de 2020

Cuando se cumplieron los ocho días para que el niño fuera circuncidado, le pusieron por nombre JESÚS, que era el nombre que el ángel le había puesto antes de que fuera concebido.

—Lucas 2:21 (RVC)

No es fácil ver sufrir a tu propio hijo. Recuerdo haber llevado a nuestro recién nacido al médico para recibir sus primeras vacunas. ¡No fue una experiencia divertida, ni para mí ni para mi hijo!

María y José también deben haber pasado un momento difícil con la circuncisión de Jesús. Pero tenían que hacerlo: era un requisito de la Ley de Dios. En muchos sentidos, la circuncisión era como el Bautismo; no era algo que los padres judíos iban a dejar de lado.

¿Y Jesús? Es cierto que a ningún bebé le gusta el dolor de la circuncisión. Sin embargo, este fue un caso extraño, porque lo que tenemos aquí es un bebé que es Dios mismo, que vino como ser humano. De hecho, ¡el mismo Dios que ordenó la circuncisión a su pueblo israelita ahora tiene que sufrirla bajo su propia orden!

Es un buen anticipo de lo que va a suceder 30 años después, cuando Dios va a sufrir la muerte que él mismo ordenó al comienzo del tiempo. No es de extrañar que lo llamaran Jesús, que significa "El Señor es Salvador". Y eso es exactamente lo que es Jesús. Él es nuestro Salvador desde toda la eternidad, como el Dios que planeó todo desde siempre para salvarnos. Y él es nuestro Salvador en el tiempo humano, en su vida, muerte, y resurrección, donde llevó a cabo el plan hecho desde la eternidad.

David tenía razón cuando dijo: "Saber esto rebasa mi entendimiento; ¡es tan sublime que no alcanzo a comprenderlo!" (Salmo 139:6). Simplemente no puedo entender la maravilla de lo que Jesús ha hecho por nosotros. Pero eso no importa. Él sabe lo que está haciendo; y nos invita, no a entender, sino a confiar en él.

ORACIÓN: Señor Jesús, ayúdame a confiar en ti, mi Salvador. En tu nombre. Amén.

Dra. Kari Vo

Para reflexionar:

• ¿Qué te cuesta entender de Dios?
• ¿Cómo lidias con eso que no puedes entender de Dios?

© Copyright 2019 Cristo Para Todas Las Naciones. ¡Utilice estas devociones en sus boletines! Usado con permiso. Todos los derechos reservados por la Int'l LLL.
¿Qué te cuesta entender de Dios?

Ministérios Pão Diário - Reiniciando

Reiniciando

Leia: Esdras 1:1-11 | A Bíblia em um ano: GÊNESIS 1–3; MATEUS 1

…o Senhor despertou o coração […] para que fossem a Jerusalém e reconstruíssem o templo do Senhor.

—Esdras 1:5

Depois das festividades de Natal, os meus pensamentos se voltam para o ano seguinte. Com os meus filos em férias da escola e a nossa rotina diária mais lenta, posso refletir sobre o que o último ano me trouxe e aonde espero que o próximo me leve. Essas reflexões, às vezes, trazem dor e pesar pelos erros que cometi. No entanto, a perspectiva de começar de novo me enche de esperança e expectativas. Sinto que tenho a oportunidade de reiniciar revigorada, não importa o que tiver acontecido no ano anterior.

Minha expectativa de um recomeço perde a importância se comparada à esperança que os israelitas devem ter sentido quando Ciro, o rei da Pérsia, libertou-os para retornarem à sua terra natal em Judá após 70 anos de cativeiro na Babilônia. O rei anterior, Nabucodonosor, tinha deportado os israelitas de sua terra natal. Mas Deus fez Ciro enviar os cativos para Jerusalém para reconstruir o Templo do Senhor (ESDRAS 1:2,3). Ciro também lhes devolveu os tesouros que haviam sido retirados do Templo. A vida deles como povo escolhido de Deus, na terra que o Senhor lhes havia designado, recomeçou depois de uma longa temporada de dificuldades, como consequência de seu pecado, na Babilônia.

Quando confessamos os nossos pecados, Deus nos perdoa e nos dá um novo começo. Que grande motivo de esperança!

Senhor, obrigado por Tua graça, perdão e recomeços.

A graça de Deus nos oferece novos começos.

por Kirsten Holmberg

© 2019 Ministérios Pão Diário
Com os meus filos em férias da escola e a nossa rotina diária mais lenta, posso refletir sobre o que o último ano me trouxe e aonde espero que o próximo me leve.