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.

Though We Turn Back to Dust--July 9, 2016



Jesus, you have been found by those
who did not seek you,
you have shown yourself to those
who did not ask for you.

Though heaven and earth will pass away,
your words will not pass away.
But as for mortals, we turn back to dust--
it happened even to Moses.

When we mourn those taken from us,
comfort us with your promise
that the end of our mortal life is not
the end of our life with you.  

Lectionary Readings
Ps. 63; 149; 125; 90
Deut. 34:1-12
Rom. 10:14-21
Matt. 24:32-51
           
Selected Verses
Ps. 90:3
 You turn us back to dust,
          and say, “Turn back, you mortals.” 

Deut. 34:8
The Israelites wept for Moses in the plains of Moab thirty days; then the period of mourning for Moses was ended.

Rom. 10:20
Then Isaiah is so bold as to say, "I have been found by those who did not seek me; I have shown myself to those who did not ask for me."

Matt. 24:35
"…Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.  …"  [Jesus to his disciples]
Posted by Elmer E. Ewing

No comments:

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)