I am an emeritus professor from Cornell University and was a Commissioned Lay Preacher in the Presbyterian Church (USA). For many years I have followed the Daily Lectionary as printed in the Mission Yearbook of my church. For each day of a two-year cycle, the lectionary lists four psalms and three other scriptural passages--usually one from the Old Testament and two from the New Testament. My practice is to copy down a verse or two from one of the psalms and from each of the other three passages. After I have written out all four selections, I reflect upon them, rearrange their order, and incorporate them into a meditation. Sometimes I retain much of the original wording; sometimes all that remains of a selection is an idea that was stimulated when I read the original words. All selections are from the New Revised Standard Version of the Bible. For the Daily Lectionary, see the link below.

Strength of Our Heart, Our Portion Forever--Oct. 28, 2013


 Lord God Almighty, you are the Alpha and the Omega,
the one who is and who was and who is to come.

With his gracious and comforting words,
Jesus has called us to do your will
and to be like his brothers
and sisters and mother.

Though our flesh and our heart may fail,
you are the strength of our heart
and our portion forever.

Lectionary Readings

Ps. 62; 145; 73; 9
Zech. 1:7-17
Rev. 1:4-20
Matt. 12:43-50

Selected Verses
Ps. 73:26
My flesh and my heart may fail,
          but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.

Zech. 1:13
Then the LORD replied with gracious and comforting words to the angel who talked with me.

Rev. 1:8
"I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.

Matt. 12:50
"…For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother."  [Jesus to the one who told him his mother and brothers were outside to see him]

Posted by Elmer E. Ewing

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