December 02, 2008

I. Readings
Psalms 33, 85, 94, 146
Isaiah 1:21-31
1 Thessalonians 2:1-12
Luke 20:9-18

II. Selections
Psalm 146:3-4
Do not put your trust in princes,
in mortals, in whom there is no help.
When their breath departs, they return to the earth;
on that very day their plans perish.

Isaiah 1:22
Your silver has become dross,
your wine is mixed with water.

1 Thessalonians 2:1-2
You yourselves know, brothers and sisters, that our coming to you was not in vain, but though we had already suffered and been shamefully mistreated at Philippi, as you know, we had courage in our God to declare to you the gospel of God in spite of great opposition.

Luke 20:9-10
[ Jesus] began to tell the people this parable: "A man planted a vineyard, and leased it to tenants, and went to another country for a long time. When the season came, he sent a slave to the tenants in order that they might give him his share of the produce of the vineyard; but the tenants beat him and sent him away empty-handed. ... "

III. Meditation: Whom to trust

You have trusted us to be tenants of your vineyard;
we must have courage to trust in you, even in spite
of suffering, mistreatment, and great opposition.

But if we trust in mortals, though they be princes,
our silver turns to dross, our wine becomes watery;
for all mortals return to earth, and their plans perish.