Today's Readings March 20

Good morning to all. It is 04:57 as I write this, and it is still dark outside. But, just as the sun makes the day bright and chases away the shadows, so does the Son. Not poetic, perhaps, but true nonetheless.

This morning's reading, from the Old Testament, begins the book of Joshua. See how far we've come since 01 January! And in the same way, Joshua begins the record of the entrance of the Israelites into the Promised Land.
The passage for today is Joshua, chapters 1, 2, and 3. Herein is found another of those 'memory verse' passages - chapter 1, verses 7 through 9 but especially verse 9.

6 Be strong and of a good courage: for unto this people shalt thou divide for an inheritance the land, which I sware unto their fathers to give them.
7 Only be thou strong and very courageous, that thou mayest observe to do according to all the law, which Moses my servant commanded thee: turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that thou mayest prosper whithersoever thou goest.
8 This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.
9 Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the LORD thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.

Sometimes that is translated as ''be strong and courageous''.
One of the great quotes from Winston Churchill is ''Never give up. Never give up. Never, never, never give up.'' Sometimes all you can do is to just hang on. Sometimes that's all you have to do, Someone else is doing the heavy lifting. As was the case with the Israelites. Not a bad place to be, if you think about it.
.
This evening's reading is taken from the Gospel of Luke, chapter 1, verses 57 through 80. This is the birth of John the Baptist, and contains yet another section of great, almost poetic, declamation, by John's father

67 And his father Zacharias was filled with the Holy Ghost, and prophesied, saying,
68 Blessed be the Lord God of Israel; for he hath visited and redeemed his people,
69 And hath raised up an horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David;
70 As he spake by the mouth of his holy prophets, which have been since the world began:
71 That we should be saved from our enemies, and from the hand of all that hate us;
72 To perform the mercy promised to our fathers, and to remember his holy covenant;
73 The oath which he sware to our father Abraham,
74 That he would grant unto us, that we being delivered out of the hand of our enemies might serve him without fear,
75 In holiness and righteousness before him, all the days of our life.
76 And thou, child, shalt be called the prophet of the Highest: for thou shalt go before the face of the Lord to prepare his ways;
77 To give knowledge of salvation unto his people by the remission of their sins,
78 Through the tender mercy of our God; whereby the dayspring from on high hath visited us,
79 To give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.

.
And all of that was, and is, true.
Have a great day.