Wednesday in Lent — Open Word

FIRST READING

Exodus 34:1-9, 27-28

Verse 1. Then the LORD said to Moses, “Chisel out two stone tablets like the originals, and I will write on them the words that were on the first tablets, which you broke. Verse 2. Be ready in the morning, and come up on Mount Sinai to present yourself before Me on the mountaintop. Verse 3. No one may go up with you; in fact, no one may be seen anywhere on the mountain — not even the flocks or herds may graze in front of the mountain.” Verse 4. So Moses chiseled out two stone tablets like the originals. He rose early in the morning, and taking the two stone tablets in his hands, he went up Mount Sinai as the LORD had commanded him. Verse 5. And the LORD descended in a cloud, stood with him there, and proclaimed His name, the LORD. Verse 6. Then the LORD passed in front of Moses and called out: “The LORD, the LORD God, is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in loving devotion and faithfulness, Verse 7. maintaining loving devotion to a thousand generations, forgiving iniquity, transgression, and sin. Yet He will by no means leave the guilty unpunished; He will visit the iniquity of the fathers on their children and grandchildren to the third and fourth generations.” Verse 8. Moses immediately bowed down to the ground and worshiped. Verse 9. “O Lord,” he said, “if I have indeed found favor in Your sight, my Lord, please go with us. Although this is a stiff-necked people, forgive our iniquity and sin, and take us as Your inheritance.” Verse 27. The LORD also said to Moses, “Write down these words, for in accordance with these words I have made a covenant with you and with Israel.” Verse 28. So Moses was there with the LORD forty days and forty nights without eating bread or drinking water. He wrote on the tablets the words of the covenant — the Ten Commandments.

PSALM

Psalm 32

Of David. A Maskil. Blessed is he whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered.

Blessed is the man whose iniquity the LORD does not count against him, in whose spirit there is no deceit.

When I kept silent, my bones became brittle from my groaning all day long.

For day and night Your hand was heavy upon me; my strength was drained as in the summer heat.

Then I acknowledged my sin to You and did not hide my iniquity. I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the LORD,” and You forgave the guilt of my sin.

Therefore let all the godly pray to You while You may be found. Surely when great waters rise, they will not come near.

You are my hiding place. You protect me from trouble; You surround me with songs of deliverance.

I will instruct you and teach you the way you should go; I will give you counsel and watch over you.

Do not be like the horse or mule, which have no understanding; they must be controlled with bit and bridle to make them come to you.

Many are the sorrows of the wicked, but loving devotion surrounds him who trusts in the LORD.

Be glad in the LORD and rejoice, O righteous ones; shout for joy, all you upright in heart.

SECOND READING

Matthew 18:10-14

Verse 10. See that you do not look down on any of these little ones. For I tell you that their angels in heaven always see the face of My Father in heaven. Verse 12. What do you think? If a man has a hundred sheep and one of them goes astray, will he not leave the ninety-nine on the hills and go out to search for the one that is lost? Verse 13. And if he finds it, truly I tell you, he rejoices more over that one sheep than over the ninety-nine that did not go astray. Verse 14. In the same way, your Father in heaven is not willing that any of these little ones should perish.