Word of the Lord

Seek the Lord while he may be found,
call upon him while he is near;

Let the wicked forsake his way,
and the unrighteous man his thoughts;

Let him return to the Lord,
that he may have mercy on him,
And to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.

For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
neither are your ways my ways, says the Lord.

For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
so are my ways higher than your ways
and my thoughts than your thoughts.

For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven,
and return not thither but water the earth,

Making it bring forth and sprout,
giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater,

So shall my word be that goes forth from my mouth;
it shall not return to me empty,

But it shall accomplish that which I purpose,
and prosper in the thing for which I sent it.

Glory to the Father and to the Son
and to the Holy Spirit;
as it was in the beginning is now
and will be forever. Amen.