Introduction: For hundreds of years many Christian traditions have read passages of scripture using a tool called a lectionary. During this ordinary season, our devotional team decided to resource you with selections from the Revised Common Lectionary.

Source: the Revised Common Lectionary Year A

(Note. If you desire to read these passages in a different version of the Bible, this link will provide all the readings for week 4 in ESV in Bible Gateway where you may also choose other versions of these passages.)

Isaiah 55:10-13
55:10 For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return there until they have watered the earth, making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater,

55:11 so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and succeed in the thing for which I sent it.

55:12 For you shall go out in joy, and be led back in peace; the mountains and the hills before you shall burst into song, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.

55:13 Instead of the thorn shall come up the cypress; instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle; and it shall be to the LORD for a memorial, for an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off.

Psalm 65:(1-8), 9-13
65:1 Praise is due to you, O God, in Zion; and to you shall vows be performed,

65:2 O you who answer prayer! To you all flesh shall come.

65:3 When deeds of iniquity overwhelm us, you forgive our transgressions.

65:4 Happy are those whom you choose and bring near to live in your courts. We shall be satisfied with the goodness of your house, your holy temple.

65:5 By awesome deeds you answer us with deliverance, O God of our salvation; you are the hope of all the ends of the earth and of the farthest seas.

65:6 By your strength you established the mountains; you are girded with might.

65:7 You silence the roaring of the seas, the roaring of their waves, the tumult of the peoples.

65:8 Those who live at earth’s farthest bounds are awed by your signs; you make the gateways of the morning and the evening shout for joy.

65:9 You visit the earth and water it, you greatly enrich it; the river of God is full of water; you provide the people with grain, for so you have prepared it.

65:10 You water its furrows abundantly, settling its ridges, softening it with showers, and blessing its growth.

65:11 You crown the year with your bounty; your wagon tracks overflow with richness.

65:12 The pastures of the wilderness overflow, the hills gird themselves with joy,

65:13 the meadows clothe themselves with flocks, the valleys deck themselves with grain, they shout and sing together for joy.

Meditate on these texts and the you can pray this prayer:

Seed-planting, fish-netting, bread-baking, pearl-hunting God,
you shape me into living a parable.
Pray with your Spirit in me
so that I may understand my experiences as healing metaphors,
and become creative and abundant stewards
of the environment you entrusted to my love. Amen.