The Wartburg Project

Daily Lectionary

January 23, 2019

January 22, 2019 January 24, 2019

These daily readings from the EHV follow the one-year daily lectionary provided in Christian Worship: Hymnal, the Lutheran Service Book, and the Treasury of Daily Prayer. In this lectionary, two readings of 15-25 verses each are provided for each day. Under this plan, nearly all of the New Testament and approximately one-third of the Old Testament are read each year. These readings fit well within the daily offices of Matins, Vespers, or Compline as daily family devotions.

Joel 2:18-32

A Dialogue Between the Lord and the Prophet
The Lord's Promises
18The Lord is zealous for his land,
and he will take pity on his people.
19The Lord will respond to them:
I am sending you grain, new wine, and fresh oil,
enough to satisfy you fully.
Never again will I subject you to scorn among the nations.
20I will drive the northern invaders far from you,
pushing them into a parched and desolate land.
Their vanguard will be driven into the eastern sea[]
and their rearguard into the western sea.[]
Then their stench will go up. Their foul smell will go up.
The Prophet's Response
Yes, the Lord[] has done great things.
21Do not be afraid, O earth.
Celebrate and be glad.
Yes, the Lord has done great things.
22Do not be afraid, you animals out in the field,
because the grazing lands are becoming green.
The trees are bearing their fruit.
The fig tree and the vine yield their riches.
23Celebrate, you people of Zion!
Rejoice in the Lord your God,
because he has given you the autumn rains in righteousness.[]
He sends you abundant showers, both autumn and spring rains,[]
as he did in the beginning.
24The threshing floors will be filled with grain.
The vats will overflow with new wine and olive oil.
The Lord's Promise
25I will repay you for the years eaten by the swarming locusts,
by the young locusts, the mature locusts, and the grasshoppers,[]
my great army that I sent among you.
26You will have plenty to eat.
You will eat until you are full,
and you will praise the name of the Lord your God,
who has worked wonders for you.
Never again will my people be put to shame!
27Then you will know that I am in the midst of Israel,
that I am the Lord your God,
and that there is no other.
Never again will my people be put to shame!
28After this, I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh.[]
Your sons and your daughters will prophesy.
Your old men will dream dreams.
Your young men will see visions.
29Even on the servants, both male and female,
I will pour out my Spirit in those days.
30I will show warning signs in the heavens and on the earth:
blood and fire and pillars of smoke.
31The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood,
before the coming of the great and terrifying day of the Lord.
32And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.[]
So on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there will be deliverance,
as the Lord has promised, among the survivors whom the Lord calls.

Romans 11:25-12:13

25For I do not want you to be uninformed about this mystery, brothers, so that you are not conceited in your opinion of yourselves. There has been a hardening of part of Israel until the full number of Gentiles has come in. 26And in this way all Israel will be saved, as it is written:
The Deliverer will come out of Zion;
he will remove ungodliness from Jacob.
27And this is my covenant with them
when I take away their sins.[]
The Paradox of How God Shows Mercy
28In regard to the gospel, they are enemies for your sake. But, in regard to election, they are especially dear for the sake of the patriarchs, 29because God's gracious gifts and call are not regretted. 30For just as you were once disobedient to God, but now have been shown mercy due to their disobedience, 31so also now they have become disobedient, so that by the mercy shown to you they may be shown mercy too. 32For God imprisoned all in disobedience so that he may show mercy to all.
33Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God!
How unsearchable are his judgments
and how untraceable his ways!
34For who has known the mind of the Lord,
or who has been his adviser?[]
35Or who has first given to God
that he will be repaid?[]
36For from him and through him and to him are all things.
To him be the glory forever! Amen.
Offer Your Bodies to God as Living Sacrifices
121Therefore I urge you, brothers,[] by the mercies of God, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice—holy and pleasing to God—which is your appropriate worship. 2Also, do not continue to conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, so that you test and approve what is the will of God—what is good, pleasing, and perfect.
Humbly Use the Gifts God Gave You
3So by the grace given to me, I tell everyone among you not to think of yourself more highly than you ought, but think in a way that results in sound judgment, as God distributed a measure of faith to each of you. 4For we have many members in one body, and not all the members have the same function. 5In the same way, though we are many, we are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another.
6We have different gifts, according to the grace God has given us. If the gift is prophecy, do it in complete agreement with the faith.[] 7If it is serving, then serve. If it is teaching, then teach. 8If it is encouraging, then encourage. If it is contributing, be generous. If it is leadership, be diligent. If it is showing mercy, do it cheerfully.
Guidelines for Christian Living
9Do not just pretend to love others. Hate what is evil. Cling to what is good. 10Be devoted to one another with brotherly love. Think of others as deserving more honor than yourselves. 11Do not be lagging behind in zeal, but be fervent in spirit, as you continue to serve the Lord. 12Be joyful in hope. Endure trials patiently. Persist in prayer. 13Share with the saints who are in need. Be quick to welcome strangers as guests.