November 19, 2006

I. Readings
Psalms 46, 67, 93
Habakkuk 1:1-2:1
Philippians 3:13-4:1
Matthew 23:13-24

II. Selections
Psalm 46:5
God is in the midst of the city; it shall not be moved;
God will help it when the morning dawns.

Habakkuk 1:2
O LORD, how long shall I cry for help,
and you will not listen?
Or cry to you "Violence!"
and you will not save?

Philippians 3:13b-14
...this one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the heavenly call of God in Christ Jesus. [ Paul]

Matthew 23:13
" ...But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you lock people out of the kingdom of heaven. For you do not go in yourselves, and when others are going in, you stop them. ... " [ Jesus]

III. Meditation: Struggles

How long shall we cry for assistance,
and you will not listen,
or cry "violence,"
and you will not save?

Woe to those who do not enter your kingdom
and who even stop others from going in.
Be in the midst of us, O God, and help us;
and we will not be moved.

Blessings to those who forget what lies behind,
but who strain forward to what lies ahead,
pressing on toward the goal of your heavenly call
in Christ Jesus.