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.

Does God Give Me Authority to Kill?--July 19, 2014


I have no desire to execute vengeance
on the nations and punishment on the peoples;
nor for God to hand over a city, king, and soldiers.

Had St. Paul been alive when Nero tortured
and burned Christians, would he have
said God gave Nero the authority?

Lord Jesus, was your blood
poured out to forgive
my sins only?

Lectionary Readings
Ps. 104; 149; 138; 98
Josh. 6:1-14
Rom. 13:1-7
Matt. 26:26-35

Selected Verses
Ps. 149:6-7
Let the high praises of God be in their throats
          and two-edged swords in their hands, 
to execute vengeance on the nations
          and punishment on the peoples…

Josh. 6:2
The LORD said to Joshua, "See, I have handed Jericho over to you, along with its king and soldiers.  …" 

Rom. 13:2
Therefore whoever resists authority resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment.

Matt. 26:28
"…for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.  …"  [Jesus to his disciples]

No comments:

Post a Comment