Today's Readings and Stuff -- Wednesday, 25 September 2019

Late again, sorry.

Wife is -- Thank You Lord! -- doing some better.  Not great, but a bit better.  Whether she's getting past whatever thing or combination of things that are part of her "normal" struggles I can't say.  Possibly.  But we'd both had a flu shot, supposedly not a live virus, at our doctor appointment last week and it is possible that it upset her delicate bodily balances.  Not sure.  Should know more by the weekend, and perhaps sooner.  We are on tap to  "watch" the great-nephew Friday evening for several hours, so that will be a benchmark.  And Niece is set to start her new job on Monday morning, so again that will tell us something.  I haven't been 100% myself, but I have to keep going, so I will.

I've  had a continuous run of songs repeating in my head since before I woke up. Several categories and I'm not sure how all of them connect, but I suspect that they all do, somehow.

Like, for example, remember what we used to call "camp songs"?  I was fortunate to be able to attend a week-long church camp several times when I was just turning 11-12 or so (Laurelville, PA, and I don't know if it is still there, as it's been quite a while).  One of the standard ones was "I've Got A Joy, Joy, Joy, Joy, down in my heart".  Not generally what you hear in Sunday services, but it was fun and enthusiastic and it had a message.   

Or two that connect in my mind, one that we sang growing up and still in many hymnals though rarely used, for reasons I do not know.  Let The Lower Lights Be Burning.  But that put me in mind of one that's sometimes part of gospel sings and presented by various groups, The Lighthouse.  The latter one should precede the Lower Lights, but each can stand on its own.  And there is a message there, a reminder of the duty that we each has to be part of the outreach to those mired in darkness and the storms of life.

And, then, in my mind all day long, Close To Thee.  I only came across this fairly recently, don't remember it from the past, but it's rapidly becoming a favorite.  Another Fanny Crosby, by the way

Thou my everlasting Portion, More than friend or life to me, All along my pilgrim journey, Savior, let me walk with Thee.  Close to Thee, close to Thee, Close to Thee, close to Thee; All along my pilgrim journey, Savior, let me walk with Thee. Not for ease or worldly pleasure, Not for fame my prayer shall be; Gladly will I toil and suffer, Only let me walk with Thee.  Close to Thee, close to Thee, Close to Thee, close to Thee; Gladly will I toil and suffer, Only let me walk with Thee. Lead me through the vale of shadows, Bear me o’er life’s fitful sea; Then the gate of life eternal May I enter, Lord, with Thee.  Close to Thee, close to Thee, Close to Thee, close to Thee; Then the gate of life eternal May I enter, Lord, with Thee.

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Isaiah 51

1Hearken to me, ye that follow after righteousness, ye that seek the Lord: look unto the rock whence ye are hewn, and to the hole of the pit whence ye are digged.

2Look unto Abraham your father, and unto Sarah that bare you: for I called him alone, and blessed him, and increased him.

3For the Lord shall comfort Zion: he will comfort all her waste places; and he will make her wilderness like Eden, and her desert like the garden of the Lord; joy and gladness shall be found therein, thanksgiving, and the voice of melody.

4Hearken unto me, my people; and give ear unto me, O my nation: for a law shall proceed from me, and I will make my judgment to rest for a light of the people.

5My righteousness is near; my salvation is gone forth, and mine arms shall judge the people; the isles shall wait upon me, and on mine arm shall they trust.

6Lift up your eyes to the heavens, and look upon the earth beneath: for the heavens shall vanish away like smoke, and the earth shall wax old like a garment, and they that dwell therein shall die in like manner: but my salvation shall be for ever, and my righteousness shall not be abolished.

7Hearken unto me, ye that know righteousness, the people in whose heart is my law; fear ye not the reproach of men, neither be ye afraid of their revilings.

8For the moth shall eat them up like a garment, and the worm shall eat them like wool: but my righteousness shall be for ever, and my salvation from generation to generation.

9Awake, awake, put on strength, O arm of the Lord; awake, as in the ancient days, in the generations of old. Art thou not it that hath cut Rahab, and wounded the dragon?

10Art thou not it which hath dried the sea, the waters of the great deep; that hath made the depths of the sea a way for the ransomed to pass over?

11Therefore the redeemed of the Lord shall return, and come with singing unto Zion; and everlasting joy shall be upon their head: they shall obtain gladness and joy; and sorrow and mourning shall flee away.

12I, even I, am he that comforteth you: who art thou, that thou shouldest be afraid of a man that shall die, and of the son of man which shall be made as grass;

13And forgettest the Lord thy maker, that hath stretched forth the heavens, and laid the foundations of the earth; and hast feared continually every day because of the fury of the oppressor, as if he were ready to destroy? and where is the fury of the oppressor?

14The captive exile hasteneth that he may be loosed, and that he should not die in the pit, nor that his bread should fail.

15But I am the Lord thy God, that divided the sea, whose waves roared: The Lord of hosts is his name.

16And I have put my words in thy mouth, and I have covered thee in the shadow of mine hand, that I may plant the heavens, and lay the foundations of the earth, and say unto Zion, Thou art my people.

17Awake, awake, stand up, O Jerusalem, which hast drunk at the hand of the Lord the cup of his fury; thou hast drunken the dregs of the cup of trembling, and wrung them out.

18There is none to guide her among all the sons whom she hath brought forth; neither is there any that taketh her by the hand of all the sons that she hath brought up.

19These two things are come unto thee; who shall be sorry for thee? desolation, and destruction, and the famine, and the sword: by whom shall I comfort thee?

20Thy sons have fainted, they lie at the head of all the streets, as a wild bull in a net: they are full of the fury of the Lord, the rebuke of thy God.

21Therefore hear now this, thou afflicted, and drunken, but not with wine:

22Thus saith thy Lord the Lord, and thy God that pleadeth the cause of his people, Behold, I have taken out of thine hand the cup of trembling, even the dregs of the cup of my fury; thou shalt no more drink it again:

23But I will put it into the hand of them that afflict thee; which have said to thy soul, Bow down, that we may go over: and thou hast laid thy body as the ground, and as the street, to them that went over.

Isaiah 52

1Awake, awake; put on thy strength, O Zion; put on thy beautiful garments, O Jerusalem, the holy city: for henceforth there shall no more come into thee the uncircumcised and the unclean.

2Shake thyself from the dust; arise, and sit down, O Jerusalem: loose thyself from the bands of thy neck, O captive daughter of Zion.

3For thus saith the Lord, Ye have sold yourselves for nought; and ye shall be redeemed without money.

4For thus saith the Lord God, My people went down aforetime into Egypt to sojourn there; and the Assyrian oppressed them without cause.

5Now therefore, what have I here, saith the Lord, that my people is taken away for nought? they that rule over them make them to howl, saith the Lord; and my name continually every day is blasphemed.

6Therefore my people shall know my name: therefore they shall know in that day that I am he that doth speak: behold, it is I.

7How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace; that bringeth good tidings of good, that publisheth salvation; that saith unto Zion, Thy God reigneth!

8Thy watchmen shall lift up the voice; with the voice together shall they sing: for they shall see eye to eye, when the Lord shall bring again Zion.

9Break forth into joy, sing together, ye waste places of Jerusalem: for the Lord hath comforted his people, he hath redeemed Jerusalem.

10The Lord hath made bare his holy arm in the eyes of all the nations; and all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God.

11Depart ye, depart ye, go ye out from thence, touch no unclean thing; go ye out of the midst of her; be ye clean, that bear the vessels of the Lord.

12For ye shall not go out with haste, nor go by flight: for the Lord will go before you; and the God of Israel will be your rearward.

13Behold, my servant shall deal prudently, he shall be exalted and extolled, and be very high.

14As many were astonished at thee; his visage was so marred more than any man, and his form more than the sons of men:

15So shall he sprinkle many nations; the kings shall shut their mouths at him: for that which had not been told them shall they see; and that which they had not heard shall they consider.

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Proverbs 21

1The king's heart is in the hand of the Lord, as the rivers of water: he turneth it whithersoever he will.

2Every way of a man is right in his own eyes: but the Lord pondereth the hearts.

3To do justice and judgment is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice.

4An high look, and a proud heart, and the plowing of the wicked, is sin.

5The thoughts of the diligent tend only to plenteousness; but of every one that is hasty only to want.

6The getting of treasures by a lying tongue is a vanity tossed to and fro of them that seek death.

7The robbery of the wicked shall destroy them; because they refuse to do judgment.

8The way of man is froward and strange: but as for the pure, his work is right.

9It is better to dwell in a corner of the housetop, than with a brawling woman in a wide house.

10The soul of the wicked desireth evil: his neighbour findeth no favour in his eyes.

11When the scorner is punished, the simple is made wise: and when the wise is instructed, he receiveth knowledge.

12The righteous man wisely considereth the house of the wicked: but God overthroweth the wicked for their wickedness.

13Whoso stoppeth his ears at the cry of the poor, he also shall cry himself, but shall not be heard.

14A gift in secret pacifieth anger: and a reward in the bosom strong wrath.

15It is joy to the just to do judgment: but destruction shall be to the workers of iniquity.

16The man that wandereth out of the way of understanding shall remain in the congregation of the dead.

17He that loveth pleasure shall be a poor man: he that loveth wine and oil shall not be rich.

18The wicked shall be a ransom for the righteous, and the transgressor for the upright.

19It is better to dwell in the wilderness, than with a contentious and an angry woman.

20There is treasure to be desired and oil in the dwelling of the wise; but a foolish man spendeth it up.

21He that followeth after righteousness and mercy findeth life, righteousness, and honour.

22A wise man scaleth the city of the mighty, and casteth down the strength of the confidence thereof.

23Whoso keepeth his mouth and his tongue keepeth his soul from troubles.

24Proud and haughty scorner is his name, who dealeth in proud wrath.

25The desire of the slothful killeth him; for his hands refuse to labour.

26He coveteth greedily all the day long: but the righteous giveth and spareth not.

27The sacrifice of the wicked is abomination: how much more, when he bringeth it with a wicked mind?

28A false witness shall perish: but the man that heareth speaketh constantly.

29A wicked man hardeneth his face: but as for the upright, he directeth his way.

30There is no wisdom nor understanding nor counsel against the Lord.

31The horse is prepared against the day of battle: but safety is of the Lord.

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1st Timothy 2

1I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men;

2For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty.

3For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour;

4Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.

5For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;

6Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.

7Whereunto I am ordained a preacher, and an apostle, (I speak the truth in Christ, and lie not;) a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and verity.

8I will therefore that men pray every where, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting.

9In like manner also, that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety; not with broided hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array;

10But (which becometh women professing godliness) with good works.

11Let the woman learn in silence with all subjection.

12But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence.

13For Adam was first formed, then Eve.

14And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the transgression.

15Notwithstanding she shall be saved in childbearing, if they continue in faith and charity and holiness with sobriety.