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's Prisoners in Christ--Jan. 16, 2017


You have formed us, O God; we are your prisoners.
Christ calls us; help us to live worthy of his call.
Like wax melt away all that keeps us from him,
that with humility and gentleness--bearing with  
patience one another in love--your servants
 may come to Christ, answering his call.

Lectionary Readings
Ps. 135; 145; 97; 112
Isa. 44:6-8, 21-23
Eph. 4:1-16
Mark 3:7-19a

Selected Verses
Ps. 97:5
The mountains melt like wax before the LORD,
          before the Lord of all the earth.

Isa. 44:21
Remember these things, O Jacob,
          and Israel, for you are my servant;
I formed you, you are my servant;
          O Israel, you will not be forgotten by me. 

Eph. 4:1-2
I therefore, the prisoner in the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love…

Mark 3:13
[Jesus] went up the mountain and called to him those whom he wanted, and they came to him.

Posted by Elmer E. Ewing

No comments:

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)