Scoundrels or Villains?--May 18, 2016

We hope not to be scoundrels or villains, dear God,

but we admit our speech is not always straight;

yes, and at times we point fingers--perhaps

with our scoffing we even sow discord?

Are your commandments such burdens

we cannot obey them?  Remind us of your

deeds of power, the strength you can give us.

Open our eyes to see ourselves as you see us--

make us ready to repent our lack of love for you.

Lectionary Readings

Ps. 89:1-18; 147:1-11; 1; 33

Prov. 6:1-19

1 John 5:1-12

Matt. 11:16-24

       

Selected Verses

Ps. 1:1

Happy are those
          who do not follow the advice of the wicked,
or take the path that sinners tread,
          or sit in the seat of scoffers…

Prov. 6:12-14

A scoundrel and a villain

            goes around with crooked speech,

winking the eyes, shuffling the feet,

            pointing the fingers,

with perverted mind devising evil,

            continually sowing discord…

1 John 5:3

For the love of God is this, that we obey his commandments.  And his commandments are not burdensome…

Matt. 11:20

Then [Jesus] began to reproach the cities in which most of his deeds of power had been done, because they did not repent.