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.

God, the Fountain of Life--Sept. 18, 2014


God of illumination and God of our salvation,
of grace and glory, the fountain of life;
in your light we see light.

Their jailer fell down trembling before Paul and Silas,
full of fear.  For him it was the beginning of wisdom.
It has been said we should fear you just enough,
O God, that we need fear nothing else at all.
In Jesus you have given us your light;
help us be your children of light,
that we may depart from evil.

Lectionary Readings
Ps. 36; 147:12-20; 80; 27
Job 28:1-28
Acts 16:25-40
John 12:27-36a

Selected Verses
Ps. 36:9
For with you is the fountain of life;
          in your light we see light.

Job 28:28
"…And [God] said to humankind, 'Truly, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding.'"  [Job]

Acts 16:29-30
The jailer called for lights, and rushing in, he fell down trembling before Paul and Silas.  Then he brought them outside and said, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?"

John 12:36a
"…While you have the light, believe in the light, so that you may become children of light."  [Jesus to the crowd]

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