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.

Fields Ripe for Harvesting--March 2, 2015


Lord Jesus, you have shown us fields ripe for harvesting,
but many oppose the work you have given us to do,
and we know our own failings work against us.

O Lord, you are near to all who call on you in truth;
help us find mutual encouragement in each other's faith;
deliver us from anything that blocks us from doing your will.

Lectionary Readings
Ps. 119:73-80; 145; 121; 6
Jer. 1:11-19
Rom. 1:1-15
John 4:27-42

Selected Verses
Ps. 145:18
 The LORD is near to all who call on him,
          to all who call on him in truth. 

Jer. 1:19
[The whole land] will fight against you; but they shall not prevail against you, for I am with you, says the LORD, to deliver you.  [The LORD to Jeremiah]

Rom. 1:12
…or rather so that we may be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith, both yours and mine.

John 4:34-35
Jesus said to [his disciples], “My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to complete his work.  Do you not say, ‘Four months more, then comes the harvest’?  But I tell you, look around you, and see how the fields are ripe for harvesting.  …"
Posted by Elmer E. Ewing

No comments:

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)