Daily Lectionary Readings for Wednesday 22 November 2006

I'm back! Now back from my trip and also semi-recovered from a really nasty flu.

DAILY LECTIONARY:

Morning: Psalm 65:1-13
Malachi 1:1, 6-14
James 3:13-4:12
Luke 17:11-19
Evening: Psalm 125:1-5

To read the lectionary click on the lick to the right that says: PC(USA) - Daily Lectionary
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The Book of James always intrigues me. First of all it has these passages in it that Martin Luther just couldn't deal with, like:

[13] Who is wise and understanding among you? Show by your good life
that your works are done with gentleness born of wisdom.

It wasn't supposed to be about "works," but living a good life is all over the Book of James.
The other thing that intrigues me is the role of intention in James. Why do you do what you do? How does your intention affect the outcome?

You do not have, because you do not ask. [3] You ask and
do not receive, because you ask wrongly, in order to spend what you
get on your pleasures.

So it's not just the works, it's the intention: not just the visible, but also the invisible.

rpv