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.

To Live Together in Unity--Jan. 10, 2017


God, how very good and pleasant it is
when kindred live together in unity.
Although you are the everlasting God,
the Creator of the ends of the earth,
you have put all things under Christ's
feet, and have made him the head
over all things for the church--his body.
Thus when Jesus broke up the family
of James and John, it was to begin the
formation of a far greater family.
We long for the day, pray for the day,
when it can live together in unity.

Lectionary Readings
Ps. 42; 146; 102; 133
Isa. 40:25-31
Eph. 1:15-23
Mark 1:14-28

Selected Verses
Ps. 133:1
How very good and pleasant it is
          when kindred live together in unity! 

Isa. 40:28b
 The LORD is the everlasting God,
          the Creator of the ends of the earth. 

Eph. 1:22-23
And he has put all things under his feet and has made him the head over all things for the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.

Mark 1:20
Immediately [Jesus] called [James and John]; and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men, and followed him.

Posted by Elmer E. Ewing

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