February 22, 2007

I. Readings
Psalms 27, 102, 126
Deuteronomy 7:6-11
Titus 1:1-16
John 1:29-34

II. Selections
Psalm 102:17
[ The LORD] will regard the prayer of the destitute,
and will not despise their prayer.

Deuteronomy 7:8
It was because the LORD loved you and kept the oath that he swore to your ancestors, that the LORD has brought you out with a mighty hand, and redeemed you from the house of slavery, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt.

Titus 1:8
...but [ a bishop] must be hospitable, a lover of goodness, prudent, upright, devout, and self-controlled.

John 1:29
The next day [ John] saw Jesus coming toward him and declared, "Here is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! ... "

III. Meditation: Do not despise my prayer

A bishop should be hospitable, a lover of goodness, prudent,
upright, devout, and self-controlled. Clearly I'm no bishop;
more often than not, in these qualities I'm even destitute.
Do you regard the prayer of the morally destitute?

With mighty hand you led our forebears out of Egypt,
redeemed them from Pharaoh's house of slavery.
You gave us Jesus, our Liberator, your Lamb.
Liberate me from my sense of destitution.