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.

One of Your Faithful Is near Death--Oct. 23, 2014


Merciful God, one of your faithful ones is about
to die.  Hold her, I pray, precious in your sight.

Lord Jesus, she is a member of your flock;
in your strength stand and feed her.

Though her own life was full of woe,
she showed pity to many others.

Dear God, hold her precious
in your sight, I pray.

Lectionary Readings
Ps. 143; 147:12-20; 81; 116
Micah 5:1-4, 10-15
Rev. 9:1-12
Luke 10:25-37

Selected Verses
Ps. 116:15
Precious in the sight of the LORD
          is the death of his faithful ones. 

Micah 5:4a
And he shall stand and feed his flock in the strength of the Lord,
            in the majesty of the name of the Lord his God. 

Rev. 9:12
The first woe has passed.  There are still two woes to come.

Luke 10:33
But a Samaritan while traveling came near [the man beaten by robbers]; and when he saw him, he was moved with pity.
Posted by Elmer E. Ewing

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