The Second Sunday in Lent

On this Second Sunday in Lent, I thought I'd share a little from my daily devotions with you. I'm also thrilled that an unspoken prayer of mine was answered so beautifully today at church. Lake Murray recently switched their pew Bibles from old New King James Version (NKJV) to the English Standard Version (ESV) as the latter is more accurate as well as more easily readable. Since the change, I've been wanting to read our daily Scripture in our homeschool from an ESV Bible, but I didn't have one. (Our old NIV is falling to pieces, and I prefer the accuracy of the ESV.) Anyway, today at church ESV Bibles were being given away for free! I took two, one for our school table and one for E whose NKJV is falling apart as well. Prayer answered and money saved! Thanks be to God!

Here is today's Collect for the Second Sunday in Lent from the 1928 Book of Common Prayer:

Almighty God, who seest that we have no power of ourselves to help ourselves; Keep us both outwardly in our bodies, and inwardly in our souls; that we may be defended from all adversities which may happen to the body, and from all evil thoughts which may assault and hurt the soul; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

The Psalms for the Seventeenth Morning in the 1928 BCP Psalter include Psalm 86-88; Psalm 86 especially caught my interest on this Second Sunday in Lent. Here follow a few passages from Psalm 86:

Be merciful unto me, O Lord; for I will call daily upon thee. Comfort the soul of thine servant; for unto thee, O Lord, do I lift up my soul. For thou, O Lord, art good and gracious, and of great mercy unto all them that call upon thee. Give ear, Lord, unto my prayer, and ponder the voice of my humble desires. In the time of my trouble I will call upon thee, for thou hearest me. (verses 3-7)

For thou art great, and doest wondrous things: thou art God alone. Teach me thy way, O Lord, and I will walk in thy truth: O knit my heart unto thee, that I may fear [respect] thy Name. I will thank thee, O Lord my God, with all my heart; and will praise thy Name for evermore. For great is thy mercy toward me; and thou hast delivered me from the nethermost hell. (verses 10-13)

But thou, O Lord God, art full of compassion and mercy; long-suffering, plenteous in goodness and truth. O turn thee unto me, and have mercy upon me; give thy strength unto thy servant... because thou, Lord, hast holpen [helped] me, and comforted me. (verses 15-17)

I wish you a Blessed Lord's Day and a Holy Lent!