Strength to Turn Back--March 22, 2019

[From March 17, 2017 archive]

O God, we seek you and your strength;

we seek your presence continually.

When we make our faces harder than rock,

and our hearts are as hard as our faces,

then help us remember what matters.

Praise from other people does not;

only praise from you is important.

Give us the strength to turn back,

to soften our hearts and our faces.

Lectionary Readings

Ps. 22; 148; 105; 130

Jer. 5:1-9

Rom. 2:25-3:18

John 5:30-47

Selected Verses

Ps. 105:4

Seek the LORD and his strength;
          seek his presence continually. 

Jer. 5:3c

 They have made their faces harder than rock;
          they have refused to turn back.

Rom. 2:29

Rather, a person is a Jew who is one inwardly, and real circumcision is a matter of the heart--it is spiritual and not literal.  Such a person receives praise not from others but from God.

John 5:44

"…How can you believe when you accept glory from one another and do not seek the glory that comes from the one who alone is God?  …"  [Jesus, to those who were persecuting him] 

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