The Daily Lectionary for Wednesday, May 31, 2023

 

The Daily Lectionary
Wednesday, May 31, 2023
Psalm 104:24-34, 35b; Numbers 11:24-30; John 7:37-39
(Revised Common Lectionary Year A)

A Psalm and A Prayer
Responsive Readings from the Psalms and Prayers
for Public Worship and Private Devotions
Psalm 104:24-34, 35b
Renewing the face of the earth
Benedic, anima mea

Man goes forth to his work *
  and to his labor until the evening.

O LORD, how manifold are your works! *
  in wisdom you have made them all;
    the earth is full of your creatures.

Yonder is the great and wide sea
    with its living things too many to number, *
  creatures both small and great.

There move the ships,
    and there is that Leviathan, *
  which you have made for the sport of it.

All of them look to you *
  to give them their food in due season.

You give it to them; they gather it; *
  you open your hand, and they are filled with good things.

You hide your face, and they are terrified; *
  you take away their breath,
    and they die and return to their dust.

You send forth your Spirit, and they are created; *
  and so you renew the face of the earth.

May the glory of the LORD endure for ever; *
  may the LORD rejoice in all his works.

He looks at the earth and it trembles; *
  he touches the mountains and they smoke.

I will sing to the LORD as long as I live; *
  I will praise my God while I have my being.
    I will rejoice in the LORD.

Father God, You created all things. You created a beautiful world for us to enjoy; a world designed to meet our physical needs. Then, when we sinned and dishonored You, You sent Your only Son to meet our spiritual needs. All that we truly enjoy comes from Your hand. Therefore, with thankful hearts, we pray:

“Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us, and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom and the power, and the glory, forever and ever. Amen.”

Numbers 11:24-30
The spirit rests on Israel’s elders

So Moses went out and told the people what the Lord had said. He brought together seventy of their elders and had them stand around the tent. Then the Lord came down in the cloud and spoke with him, and he took some of the power of the Spirit that was on him and put it on the seventy elders. When the Spirit rested on them, they prophesied—but did not do so again.

However, two men, whose names were Eldad and Medad, had remained in the camp. They were listed among the elders, but did not go out to the tent. Yet the Spirit also rested on them, and they prophesied in the camp. A young man ran and told Moses, “Eldad and Medad are prophesying in the camp.”

Joshua son of Nun, who had been Moses’ aide since youth, spoke up and said, “Moses, my lord, stop them!”

But Moses replied, “Are you jealous for my sake? I wish that all the Lord’s people were prophets and that the Lord would put his Spirit on them!” Then Moses and the elders of Israel returned to the camp.

John 7:37-39
Jesus the true living water

On the last and greatest day of the festival, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.” By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive. Up to that time the Spirit had not been given, since Jesus had not yet been glorified.

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 Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. Responsive Readings from the Common Book of Prayer (1789).

The Daily Lectionary is a three year cyclical lectionary. We are currently in Year A. Beginning with the first Sunday of Advent in 2023, we will be in Year B. The year which ended at Advent 2022 was Year A. 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 on what they heard in worship. Revised Common Lectionary Daily Readings, copyright © 2005 Consultation on Common Texts. www.commontexts.org
The Daily Lectionary for Wednesday, May 31, 2023
Psalm 104:24-34, 35b; Numbers 11:24-30; John 7:37-39