February 28, 2006

I. Readings
Psalms 42, 102, 133
Proverbs 30:1-4, 24-33
Philippians 3:1-11
John 18:28-38

II. Selections
Psalm 42:7
Deep calls to deep
at the thunder of your cataracts;
all your waves and your billows
have gone over me.

Proverbs 30:1
The words of Agur son of Jakeh. An oracle. Thus says the man: I am weary, O God, I am weary, O God. How can I prevail?

Philippians 3:7-8a
Yet whatever gains I had, these I have come to regard as loss because of Christ. More than that, I regard everything as loss because of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord.

John 18:33
Then Pilate entered the headquarters again, summoned Jesus, and asked him, "Are you the King of the Jews?"

III. Meditation: From the deep
With Pilate, we ask the question.
Just who are you, Jesus? ;
With the oracle we confess, we are weary, O God-
weary of trying to prevail.
For like the psalmist, your thundering cataracts-
your waves and billows-have gone over us.

Rescue us from the deep.
Rescue us, and teach us to say with Paul:
Whatever gains I have had, I regard them as loss;
I regard everything as loss
because of the surpassing value
of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord.