Not the Fleeting Pleasures--Jan. 31, 2018

Holy God,

we worship you

and tremble before you,

not because we fear you,

but because we love you,

and when you call us,

we want to answer,

"Here I am."

Sin offers its

fleeting pleasures,

but we prefer to accept

the bread that Jesus offers.

Give us strength to share in the

hardships that your people often face

and must endure for taking of his bread.

We pray this, for with Jesus is our life.

Lectionary Readings

Ps. 96; 147:1-11; 132; 134

Gen. 22:1-18

Heb. 11:23-31

John 6:52-59

Selected Verses

Ps. 96:9

Worship the LORD in holy splendor;
          tremble before him, all the earth.

Gen. 22:1

After these things God tested Abraham.  He said to him, "Abraham!"  And he said, "Here I am." 

Heb. 11:24-25

By faith Moses, when he was grown up, refused to be called a son of Pharaoh's daughter, choosing rather to share ill-treatment with the people of God than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin.

John 6:58-59

"…This is the bread that came down from heaven, not like that which your ancestors ate, and they died.  But the one who eats this bread will live forever."  [Jesus] said these things while he was teaching in the synagogue at Capernaum.