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.

Delivered from Our Futile Ways--April 18, 2014


O God, you do not willingly afflict or grieve anyone;
but we were delivered from our futile ways,
not with silver or gold, but with the
precious blood of Christ.

I have never understood
exactly how to explain that,
except perhaps that if it had not
happened we would not have been
able to follow Jesus; but it did happen;
that I will proclaim, saying you have done it.

Lectionary Readings
Ps. 22; 148; 105; 130
Lam. 3:1-9; 19-33
1 Peter 1:10-20
John 13:36-38

Selected Verses
Ps. 22:31
…and proclaim [the LORD's] deliverance to a people yet unborn,
          saying that he has done it.

Lam. 3:33
…for [the Lord] does not willingly afflict or grieve anyone.

1 Peter 1:18-19
You know that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your ancestors, not with perishable things like silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without defect or blemish. 

John 13:36
Simon Peter said to him, "Lord, where are you going?" Jesus answered, "Where I am going, you cannot follow me now; but you will follow afterward."

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