Thursday in Lent — Open Word

FIRST READING

Jonah 3:1-10

Verse 1. Then the word of the LORD came to Jonah a second time: Verse 2. “Get up! Go to the great city of Nineveh and proclaim to it the message that I give you.” Verse 3. This time Jonah got up and went to Nineveh, in accordance with the word of the LORD. Now Nineveh was an exceedingly great city, requiring a three-day journey. Verse 4. On the first day of his journey, Jonah set out into the city and proclaimed, “Forty more days and Nineveh will be overturned!” Verse 5. And the Ninevites believed God. They proclaimed a fast and dressed in sackcloth, from the greatest of them to the least. Verse 6. When word reached the king of Nineveh, he got up from his throne, took off his royal robe, covered himself with sackcloth, and sat in ashes. Verse 7. Then he issued a proclamation in Nineveh: “By the decree of the king and his nobles: Let no man or beast, herd or flock, taste anything at all. They must not eat or drink. Verse 8. Furthermore, let both man and beast be covered with sackcloth, and have everyone call out earnestly to God. Let each one turn from his evil ways and from the violence in his hands. Verse 9. Who knows? God may turn and relent; He may turn from His fierce anger, so that we will not perish.” Verse 10. When God saw their actions— that they had turned from their evil ways— He relented from the disaster He had threatened to bring upon them.

PSALM

Psalm 51

For the choirmaster. A Psalm of David. When Nathan the prophet came to him after his adultery with Bathsheba. Have mercy on me, O God, according to Your loving devotion; according to Your great compassion, blot out my transgressions.

Wash me clean of my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin.

For I know my transgressions, and my sin is always before me.

Against You, You only, have I sinned and done what is evil in Your sight, so that You may be proved right when You speak and blameless when You judge.

Surely I was brought forth in iniquity; I was sinful when my mother conceived me.

Surely You desire truth in the inmost being; You teach me wisdom in the inmost place.

Purify me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.

Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones You have crushed rejoice.

Hide Your face from my sins and blot out all my iniquities.

Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.

Cast me not away from Your presence; take not Your Holy Spirit from me.

Restore to me the joy of Your salvation, and sustain me with a willing spirit.

Then I will teach transgressors Your ways, and sinners will return to You.

Deliver me from bloodguilt, O God, the God of my salvation, and my tongue will sing of Your righteousness.

O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth will declare Your praise.

For You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it; You take no pleasure in burnt offerings.

The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and a contrite heart, O God, You will not despise.

In Your good pleasure, cause Zion to prosper; build up the walls of Jerusalem.

Then You will delight in righteous sacrifices, in whole burnt offerings; then bulls will be offered on Your altar.

SECOND READING

Romans 1:1-7

Verse 1. Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle, and set apart for the gospel of God— Verse 2. the gospel He promised beforehand through His prophets in the Holy Scriptures, Verse 3. regarding His Son, who was a descendant of David according to the flesh, Verse 4. and who through the Spirit of holiness was declared with power to be the Son of God by His resurrection from the dead: Jesus Christ our Lord. Verse 5. Through Him and on behalf of His name, we received grace and apostleship to call all those among the Gentiles to the obedience that comes from faith. Verse 6. And you also are among those who are called to belong to Jesus Christ. Verse 7. To all in Rome who are loved by God and called to be saints: Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.