Morning Prayer Is Updated Everyday Apart From Sunday    

 2 Kings 9.1–16    

9Then the prophet Elisha called a member of the company of prophets and said to him, ‘Gird up your loins; take this flask of oil in your hand, and go to Ramoth-gilead. 2When you arrive, look there for Jehu son of Jehoshaphat, son of Nimshi; go in and get him to leave his companions, and take him into an inner chamber. 3Then take the flask of oil, pour it on his head, and say, “Thus says the Lord: I anoint you king over Israel.” Then open the door and flee; do not linger.’

4 So the young man, the young prophet, went to Ramoth-gilead. 5He arrived while the commanders of the army were in council, and he announced, ‘I have a message for you, commander.’ ‘For which one of us?’ asked Jehu. ‘For you, commander.’ 6So Jehu got up and went inside; the young man poured the oil on his head, saying to him, ‘Thus says the Lord the God of Israel: I anoint you king over the people of the Lord, over Israel. 7You shall strike down the house of your master Ahab, so that I may avenge on Jezebel the blood of my servants the prophets, and the blood of all the servants of the Lord. 8For the whole house of Ahab shall perish; I will cut off from Ahab every male, bond or free, in Israel. 9I will make the house of Ahab like the house of Jeroboam son of Nebat, and like the house of Baasha son of Ahijah. 10The dogs shall eat Jezebel in the territory of Jezreel, and no one shall bury her.’ Then he opened the door and fled.

11 When Jehu came back to his master’s officers, they said to him, ‘Is everything all right? Why did that madman come to you?’ He answered them, ‘You know the sort and how they babble.’ 12They said, ‘Liar! Come on, tell us!’ So he said, ‘This is just what he said to me: “Thus says the Lord, I anoint you king over Israel.” ’ 13Then hurriedly they all took their cloaks and spread them for him on the bare steps; and they blew the trumpet, and proclaimed, ‘Jehu is king.’

14 Thus Jehu son of Jehoshaphat son of Nimshi conspired against Joram. Joram with all Israel had been on guard at Ramoth-gilead against King Hazael of Aram; 15but King Joram had returned to be healed in Jezreel of the wounds that the Arameans had inflicted on him, when he fought against King Hazael of Aram. So Jehu said, ‘If this is your wish, then let no one slip out of the city to go and tell the news in Jezreel.’ 16Then Jehu mounted his chariot and went to Jezreel, where Joram was lying ill. King Ahaziah of Judah had come down to visit Joram.

Acts 27.1–26    

27When it was decided that we were to sail for Italy, they transferred Paul and some other prisoners to a centurion of the Augustan Cohort, named Julius. 2Embarking on a ship of Adramyttium that was about to set sail to the ports along the coast of Asia, we put to sea, accompanied by Aristarchus, a Macedonian from Thessalonica. 3The next day we put in at Sidon; and Julius treated Paul kindly, and allowed him to go to his friends to be cared for. 4Putting out to sea from there, we sailed under the lee of Cyprus, because the winds were against us. 5After we had sailed across the sea that is off Cilicia and Pamphylia, we came to Myra in Lycia. 6There the centurion found an Alexandrian ship bound for Italy and put us on board. 7We sailed slowly for a number of days and arrived with difficulty off Cnidus, and as the wind was against us, we sailed under the lee of Crete off Salmone. 8Sailing past it with difficulty, we came to a place called Fair Havens, near the city of Lasea.

9 Since much time had been lost and sailing was now dangerous, because even the Fast had already gone by, Paul advised them, 10saying, ‘Sirs, I can see that the voyage will be with danger and much heavy loss, not only of the cargo and the ship, but also of our lives.’ 11But the centurion paid more attention to the pilot and to the owner of the ship than to what Paul said. 12Since the harbour was not suitable for spending the winter, the majority was in favour of putting to sea from there, on the chance that somehow they could reach Phoenix, where they could spend the winter. It was a harbour of Crete, facing south-west and north-west.

13 When a moderate south wind began to blow, they thought they could achieve their purpose; so they weighed anchor and began to sail past Crete, close to the shore. 14But soon a violent wind, called the northeaster, rushed down from Crete.15Since the ship was caught and could not be turned with its head to the wind, we gave way to it and were driven. 16By running under the lee of a small island called Cauda we were scarcely able to get the ship’s boat under control. 17After hoisting it up they took measures to undergird the ship; then, fearing that they would run on the Syrtis, they lowered the sea-anchor and so were driven. 18We were being pounded by the storm so violently that on the next day they began to throw the cargo overboard, 19and on the third day with their own hands they threw the ship’s tackle overboard. 20When neither sun nor stars appeared for many days, and no small tempest raged, all hope of our being saved was at last abandoned.

21 Since they had been without food for a long time, Paul then stood up among them and said, ‘Men, you should have listened to me and not have set sail from Crete and thereby avoided this damage and loss. 22I urge you now to keep up your courage, for there will be no loss of life among you, but only of the ship. 23For last night there stood by me an angel of the God to whom I belong and whom I worship, 24and he said, “Do not be afraid, Paul; you must stand before the emperor; and indeed, God has granted safety to all those who are sailing with you.” 25So keep up your courage, men, for I have faith in God that it will be exactly as I have been told. 26But we will have to run aground on some island.

Psalm 119.105–128    

105  Your word is a lantern to my feet ♦︎
   and a light upon my path.
106  I have sworn and will fulfil it, ♦︎
   to keep your righteous judgements.
107  I am troubled above measure; ♦︎
   give me life, O Lord, according to your word.
108  Accept the freewill offering of my mouth, O Lord, ♦︎
   and teach me your judgements.
109  My soul is ever in my hand, ♦︎
   yet I do not forget your law.
110  The wicked have laid a snare for me, ♦︎
   but I have not strayed from your commandments.
111  Your testimonies have I claimed as my heritage for ever; ♦︎
   for they are the very joy of my heart.
112  I have applied my heart to fulfil your statutes: ♦︎
   always, even to the end.
113  I hate those who are double-minded, ♦︎
   but your law do I love.
114  You are my hiding place and my shield ♦︎
   and my hope is in your word.
115  Away from me, you wicked! ♦︎
   I will keep the commandments of my God.
116  Sustain me according to your promise, that I may live, ♦︎
   and let me not be disappointed in my hope.
117  Hold me up and I shall be saved, ♦︎
   and my delight shall be ever in your statutes.
118  You set at nought those who depart from your statutes, ♦︎
   for their deceiving is in vain.
119  You consider all the wicked as dross; ♦︎
   therefore I love your testimonies.
120  My flesh trembles for fear of you ♦︎
   and I am afraid of your judgements.
121  I have done what is just and right; ♦︎
   O give me not over to my oppressors.
122  Stand surety for your servant’s good; ♦︎
   let not the proud oppress me.
123  My eyes fail with watching for your salvation ♦︎
   and for your righteous promise.
124  O deal with your servant according to your faithful love ♦︎
   and teach me your statutes.
125  I am your servant; O grant me understanding, ♦︎
   that I may know your testimonies.
126  It is time for you to act, O Lord, ♦︎
   for they frustrate your law.
127  Therefore I love your commandments ♦︎
   above gold, even much fine gold.
128  Therefore I direct my steps by all your precepts, ♦︎
   and all false ways I utterly abhor.