September 19

Luke 23:44-49

[44] It was now about the sixth hour, and there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour, [45] while the sun’s light failed. And the curtain of the temple was torn in two. [46] Then Jesus, calling out with a loud voice, said, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit!” And having said this he breathed his last. [47] Now when the centurion saw what had taken place, he praised God, saying, “Certainly this man was innocent!” [48] And all the crowds that had assembled for this spectacle, when they saw what had taken place, returned home beating their breasts. [49] And all his acquaintances and the women who had followed him from Galilee stood at a distance watching these things.

Hebrews 11:1-16

[1] Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. [2] For by it the people of old received their commendation. [3] By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible.

[4] By faith Abel offered to God a more acceptable sacrifice than Cain, through which he was commended as righteous, God commending him by accepting his gifts. And through his faith, though he died, he still speaks. [5] By faith Enoch was taken up so that he should not see death, and he was not found, because God had taken him. Now before he was taken he was commended as having pleased God. [6] And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him. [7] By faith Noah, being warned by God concerning events as yet unseen, in reverent fear constructed an ark for the saving of his household. By this he condemned the world and became an heir of the righteousness that comes by faith.

[8] By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place that he was to receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going. [9] By faith he went to live in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, living in tents with Isaac and Jacob, heirs with him of the same promise. [10] For he was looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose designer and builder is God. [11] By faith Sarah herself received power to conceive, even when she was past the age, since she considered him faithful who had promised. [12] Therefore from one man, and him as good as dead, were born descendants as many as the stars of heaven and as many as the innumerable grains of sand by the seashore.

[13] These all died in faith, not having received the things promised, but having seen them and greeted them from afar, and having acknowledged that they were strangers and exiles on the earth. [14] For people who speak thus make it clear that they are seeking a homeland. [15] If they had been thinking of that land from which they had gone out, they would have had opportunity to return. [16] But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared for them a city.

Proverbs 27:15-27

    [15] 

    A continual dripping on a rainy day

        and a quarrelsome wife are alike; 

    [16] 

    to restrain her is to restrain the wind

        or to grasp oil in one’s right hand. 

    [17] 

    Iron sharpens iron,

        and one man sharpens another. 

    [18] 

    Whoever tends a fig tree will eat its fruit,

        and he who guards his master will be honored. 

    [19] 

    As in water face reflects face,

        so the heart of man reflects the man. 

    [20] 

    Sheol and Abaddon are never satisfied,

        and never satisfied are the eyes of man. 

    [21] 

    The crucible is for silver, and the furnace is for gold,

        and a man is tested by his praise. 

    [22] 

    Crush a fool in a mortar with a pestle

        along with crushed grain,

        yet his folly will not depart from him.

    [23] 

    Know well the condition of your flocks,

        and give attention to your herds, 

    [24] 

    for riches do not last forever;

        and does a crown endure to all generations? 

    [25] 

    When the grass is gone and the new growth appears

        and the vegetation of the mountains is gathered, 

    [26] 

    the lambs will provide your clothing,

        and the goats the price of a field. 

    [27] 

    There will be enough goats’ milk for your food,

        for the food of your household

        and maintenance for your girls.

Isaiah 49

    [1] Listen to me, O coastlands,

        and give attention, you peoples from afar.

    The LORD called me from the womb,

        from the body of my mother he named my name. 

    [2] He made my mouth like a sharp sword;

        in the shadow of his hand he hid me;

    he made me a polished arrow;

        in his quiver he hid me away. 

    [3] And he said to me, “You are my servant,

        Israel, in whom I will be glorified.” 

    [4] But I said, “I have labored in vain;

        I have spent my strength for nothing and vanity;

    yet surely my right is with the LORD,

        and my recompense with my God.”

    [5] And now the LORD says,

        he who formed me from the womb to be his servant,

    to bring Jacob back to him;

        and that Israel might be gathered to him—

    for I am honored in the eyes of the LORD,

        and my God has become my strength—

    [6] he says:

    “It is too light a thing that you should be my servant

        to raise up the tribes of Jacob

        and to bring back the preserved of Israel;

    I will make you as a light for the nations,

        that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth.”

    [7] Thus says the LORD,

        the Redeemer of Israel and his Holy One,

    to one deeply despised, abhorred by the nation,

        the servant of rulers:

    “Kings shall see and arise;

        princes, and they shall prostrate themselves;

    because of the LORD, who is faithful,

        the Holy One of Israel, who has chosen you.”

    [8] Thus says the LORD:

    “In a time of favor I have answered you;

        in a day of salvation I have helped you;

    I will keep you and give you

        as a covenant to the people,

    to establish the land,

        to apportion the desolate heritages, 

    [9] saying to the prisoners, ‘Come out,’

        to those who are in darkness, ‘Appear.’

    They shall feed along the ways;

        on all bare heights shall be their pasture; 

    [10] they shall not hunger or thirst,

        neither scorching wind nor sun shall strike them,

    for he who has pity on them will lead them,

        and by springs of water will guide them. 

    [11] And I will make all my mountains a road,

        and my highways shall be raised up. 

    [12] Behold, these shall come from afar,

        and behold, these from the north and from the west,

        and these from the land of Syene.”

    [13] Sing for joy, O heavens, and exult, O earth;

        break forth, O mountains, into singing!

    For the LORD has comforted his people

        and will have compassion on his afflicted.

    [14] But Zion said, “The LORD has forsaken me;

        my Lord has forgotten me.”

    [15] “Can a woman forget her nursing child,

        that she should have no compassion on the son of her womb?

    Even these may forget,

        yet I will not forget you. 

    [16] Behold, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands;

        your walls are continually before me. 

    [17] Your builders make haste;

        your destroyers and those who laid you waste go out from you. 

    [18] Lift up your eyes around and see;

        they all gather, they come to you.

    As I live, declares the LORD,

        you shall put them all on as an ornament;

        you shall bind them on as a bride does.

    [19] “Surely your waste and your desolate places

        and your devastated land—

    surely now you will be too narrow for your inhabitants,

        and those who swallowed you up will be far away. 

    [20] The children of your bereavement

        will yet say in your ears:

    ‘The place is too narrow for me;

        make room for me to dwell in.’ 

    [21] Then you will say in your heart:

        ‘Who has borne me these?

    I was bereaved and barren,

        exiled and put away,

        but who has brought up these?

    Behold, I was left alone;

        from where have these come?’”

    [22] Thus says the Lord GOD:

    “Behold, I will lift up my hand to the nations,

        and raise my signal to the peoples;

    and they shall bring your sons in their arms,

        and your daughters shall be carried on their shoulders. 

    [23] Kings shall be your foster fathers,

        and their queens your nursing mothers.

    With their faces to the ground they shall bow down to you,

        and lick the dust of your feet.

    Then you will know that I am the LORD;

        those who wait for me shall not be put to shame.”

    [24] Can the prey be taken from the mighty,

        or the captives of a tyrant be rescued? 

    [25] For thus says the LORD:

    “Even the captives of the mighty shall be taken,

        and the prey of the tyrant be rescued,

    for I will contend with those who contend with you,

        and I will save your children. 

    [26] I will make your oppressors eat their own flesh,

        and they shall be drunk with their own blood as with wine.

    Then all flesh shall know

        that I am the LORD your Savior,

        and your Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob.”

Isaiah 50

    [1] Thus says the LORD:

    “Where is your mother’s certificate of divorce,

        with which I sent her away?

    Or which of my creditors is it

        to whom I have sold you?

    Behold, for your iniquities you were sold,

        and for your transgressions your mother was sent away. 

    [2] Why, when I came, was there no man;

        why, when I called, was there no one to answer?

    Is my hand shortened, that it cannot redeem?

        Or have I no power to deliver?

    Behold, by my rebuke I dry up the sea,

        I make the rivers a desert;

    their fish stink for lack of water

        and die of thirst. 

    [3] I clothe the heavens with blackness

        and make sackcloth their covering.”

    [4] The Lord GOD has given me

        the tongue of those who are taught,

    that I may know how to sustain with a word

        him who is weary.

    Morning by morning he awakens;

        he awakens my ear

        to hear as those who are taught. 

    [5] The Lord GOD has opened my ear,

        and I was not rebellious;

        I turned not backward. 

    [6] I gave my back to those who strike,

        and my cheeks to those who pull out the beard;

    I hid not my face

        from disgrace and spitting.

    [7] But the Lord GOD helps me;

        therefore I have not been disgraced;

    therefore I have set my face like a flint,

        and I know that I shall not be put to shame. 

    [8]     He who vindicates me is near.

    Who will contend with me?

        Let us stand up together.

    Who is my adversary?

        Let him come near to me. 

    [9] Behold, the Lord GOD helps me;

        who will declare me guilty?

    Behold, all of them will wear out like a garment;

        the moth will eat them up.

    [10] Who among you fears the LORD

        and obeys the voice of his servant?

    Let him who walks in darkness

        and has no light

    trust in the name of the LORD

        and rely on his God. 

    [11] Behold, all you who kindle a fire,

        who equip yourselves with burning torches!

    Walk by the light of your fire,

        and by the torches that you have kindled!

    This you have from my hand:

        you shall lie down in torment.