December 20

Jonah 1:1-4, 14-15, 17; 2:1-2, 10; 3:1-3

1 1 Now the word of the LORD came to Jonah the son of Amittai, saying, 2 "Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and call out against it, for their evil has come up before me." 3 But Jonah rose to flee to Tarshish from the presence of the LORD. He went down to Joppa and found a ship going to Tarshish. So he paid the fare and went down into it, to go with them to Tarshish, away from the presence of the LORD. 4 But the LORD hurled a great wind upon the sea, and there was a mighty tempest on the sea, so that the ship threatened to break up…

14 Therefore they called out to the LORD, "O LORD, let us not perish for this man's life, and lay not on us innocent blood, for you, O LORD, have done as it pleased you." 15 So they picked up Jonah and hurled him into the sea, and the sea ceased from its raging… 17 And the LORD appointed a great fish to swallow up Jonah. And Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights…

2  1 Then Jonah prayed to the LORD his God from the belly of the fish, 2 saying, "I called out to the LORD, out of my distress, and he answered me;"… 10 And the LORD spoke to the fish, and it vomited Jonah out upon the dry land.

3  1 Then the word of the LORD came to Jonah the second time, saying, 2 "Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and call out against it the message that I tell you." 3 So Jonah arose and went to Nineveh, according to the word of the LORD.

Hebrews 1:1-2

1 Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets,
2 but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world.

Grant, Almighty God,
that since Thou hast been pleased to show to us
the way in which we cannot err, provided we
obey Thee –
O grant that we may render ourselves really teachable and
ready to obey, and never undertake anything but
what we know is approved by Thee nor turn aside
on the right hand or on the left;
but continue in that form of worship Thou hast
prescribed to us in Thy Word, so that we may be
able to bear witness, not only before the world,
but before Thee and the holy angels, that we
obediently follow Thee.
And may we never blend anything of our own, but with
submissive minds worship Thee alone and strive to
render ourselves wholly subject to Thee until, having at
length rendered to Thee due service through the whole
course of our life, we shall reach that blessed rest Thy
Son has procured for us by His own blood. Amen.