But Joy Comes with the Morning--Sept. 17, 2019

God, in your presence no one can boast;

before you, we must humble ourselves.

We are a people who sit in great darkness,

a people who sit in the shadow of death.

May your light shine upon us, dear Lord;

though our weeping lingers for the night,

we pray you, bring joy with the morning.

Lectionary Readings

Ps. 123; 146; 30; 86

1 Kings 21:17-29

1 Cor. 1:20-31

Matt. 4:12-17

Selected Verses

Ps. 30:5b

Weeping may linger for the night,
          but joy comes with the morning.

1 Kings 21:29

“Have you seen how Ahab has humbled himself before me?  Because he has humbled himself before me, I will not bring the disaster in his days; but in his son’s days I will bring the disaster on his house.”  [The LORD, to Elijah]

1 Cor. 1:28-29

God chose what is low and despised in the world, things that are not, to reduce to nothing things that are, so that no one might boast in the presence of God. 

Matt. 4:16

“…the people who sat in darkness
          have seen a great light,
and for those who sat in the region and shadow of death
          light has dawned.”

[Quoting Isaiah]