Today’s Readings and Hymns: (Click on each blue arrow to expand/collapse each section.)
1:1
The oracle that the prophet Habakkuk saw.
2
O Lord, how long shall I cry for help,
and you will not listen?
Or cry to you “Violence!”
and you will not save?
3
Why do you make me see wrongdoing
and look at trouble?
Destruction and violence are before me;
strife and contention arise.
4
So the law becomes slack
and justice never prevails.
The wicked surround the righteous—
therefore judgment comes forth perverted.
2:1
I will stand at my watchpost,
and station myself on the rampart;
I will keep watch to see what he will say to me,
and what he will answer concerning my complaint.
2
Then the Lord answered me and said:
Write the vision;
make it plain on tablets,
so that a runner may read it.
3
For there is still a vision for the appointed time;
it speaks of the end, and does not lie.
If it seems to tarry, wait for it;
it will surely come, it will not delay.
4
Look at the proud!
Their spirit is not right in them,
but the righteous live by their faith.
1
Do not be provoked by evildoers;
do not be jealous of those who do wrong.
2
For they shall soon wither like the grass,
and like the green grass fade away.
3
Put your trust in the Lord and do good;
dwell in the land and find safe pasture.
4
Take delight in the Lord,
who shall give you your heart’s desire.
5
Commit your way to the Lord; put your trust in the Lord,
and see what God will do.
6
The Lord will make your vindication as clear as the light
and the justice of your case like the noonday sun.
7
Be still before the Lord and wait patiently.
Do not be provoked by the one who prospers, the one who succeeds in evil schemes.
8
Refrain from anger, leave rage alone;
do not be provoked; it leads only to evil.
9
For evildoers shall be cut off,
but those who hope in the Lord shall possess the land.
1Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, for the sake of the promise of life that is in Christ Jesus,
2To Timothy, my beloved child:
Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.
3I am grateful to God—whom I worship with a clear conscience, as my ancestors did—when I remember you constantly in my prayers night and day. 4Recalling your tears, I long to see you so that I may be filled with joy. 5I am reminded of your sincere faith, a faith that lived first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice and now, I am sure, lives in you. 6For this reason I remind you to rekindle the gift of God that is within you through the laying on of my hands; 7for God did not give us a spirit of cowardice, but rather a spirit of power and of love and of self-discipline.
8Do not be ashamed, then, of the testimony about our Lord or of me his prisoner, but join with me in suffering for the gospel, relying on the power of God, 9who saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works but according to his own purpose and grace. This grace was given to us in Christ Jesus before the ages began, 10but it has now been revealed through the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus, who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel. 11For this gospel I was appointed a herald and an apostle and a teacher, 12and for this reason I suffer as I do. But I am not ashamed, for I know the one in whom I have put my trust, and I am sure that he is able to guard until that day what I have entrusted to him. 13Hold to the standard of sound teaching that you have heard from me, in the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. 14Guard the good treasure entrusted to you, with the help of the Holy Spirit living in us.
5The apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith!” 6The Lord replied, “If you had faith the size of a mustard seed, you could say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it would obey you.
7“Who among you would say to your slave who has just come in from plowing or tending sheep in the field, ‘Come here at once and take your place at the table’? 8Would you not rather say to him, ‘Prepare supper for me, put on your apron and serve me while I eat and drink; later you may eat and drink’? 9Do you thank the slave for doing what was commanded? 10So you also, when you have done all that you were ordered to do, say, ‘We are worthless slaves; we have done only what we ought to have done!’ ”
Joyful, joyful we adore thee, God of glory, Lord of love! Hearts unfold like flow’rs before thee, praising thee, their sun above. Melt the clouds of sin and sadness, drive the gloom of doubt away. Giver of immortal gladness, fill us with the light of day.
All thy works with joy surround thee, earth and heav’n reflect thy rays, stars and angels sing around thee, center of unbroken praise. Field and forest, vale and mountain, flow’ry meadow, flashing sea, chanting bird, and flowing fountain call us to rejoice in thee.
Thou art giving and forgiving, ever blessing, ever blest, wellspring of the joy of living, ocean-depth of happy rest! Thou our Father, Christ our brother, all who live in love are thine; teach us how to love each other, lift us to the joy divine!
Come down, O Love divine; seek thou this soul of mine and visit it with thine own ardor glowing; O Comforter, draw near; within my heart appear and kindle it, thy holy flame bestowing.
Oh, let it freely burn, till worldly passions turn to dust and ashes in its heat consuming; and let thy glorious light shine ever on my sight, and clothe me round, the while my path illuming.
Let holy charity mine outward vesture be, and lowliness become mine inner clothing— true lowliness of heart, which takes the humbler part, and o’er its own shortcomings weeps with loathing.
And so the yearning strong, with which the soul will long, shall far outpass the pow’r of human telling; no soul can guess Love’s grace till it become the place wherein the Holy Spirit makes a dwelling.
For the fruit of all creation, thanks be to God. For these gifts to ev’ry nation, thanks be to God. For the plowing, sowing, reaping, silent growth while we are sleeping, future needs in earth’s safekeeping, thanks be to God.
In the just reward of labor, God’s will is done. In the help we give our neighbor, God’s will is done. In our worldwide task of caring for the hungry and despairing, in the harvests we are sharing, God’s will is done.
For the harvests of the Spirit, thanks be to God. For the good we all inherit, thanks be to God. For the wonders that astound us, for the truths that still confound us, most of all, that love has found us, thanks be to God.
Worship Leaders: Pastor Colleen Cox, Mady Nakonecznyj
Music: Deb Jenks (organ and piano), Peals of Grace, Senior Choir, Brad Hill (percussion)
Additional Resources:
View and print the pre-reader’s version of this Sunday’s children’s bulletin: Pre-reader’s Version View and print the reader’s version of this Sunday’s children’s bulletin: Reader’s Version
The radio program Sing for Joy follows the weekly Sunday lectionary through music and reflection. To listen, click here: Sing for Joy. Program host Pastor Bruce Benson ties the biblical readings of the day with musical selections from a number of sources brought together by Dr. John Ferguson, retired professor of organ and church music. The program is produced by St. Olaf College.
Permission to podcast/stream the music in this service obtained from ONE LICENSE #A-730287. All rights reserved.
