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 Welcome Your Implanted Word, O God--May 23, 2017

[From May 12, 2015 archive]

Rid us of all sordidness and wickedness,
that with meekness we may welcome your
implanted word--the power to save our souls.
Sometimes you let people ride over our heads,
God, and we go through fire and through water,
but then you bring us out to a spacious place,
a place where we know that you are with us.
You humble us and test us, even bring us
to the time of trial, but in the end
you do us good, dear Lord.

Lectionary Readings
Ps. 98; 146; 66; 116
Deut. 8:11-20
James 1:16-27
Luke 11:1-13

Selected Verses
Ps. 66:12
…you let people ride over our heads;
          we went through fire and through water;
yet you have brought us out to a spacious place.

Deut. 8:15b-16
[The LORD your God] made water flow for you from flint rock, and fed you in the wilderness with manna that your ancestors did not know, to humble you and to test you, and in the end to do you good. 

James 1:21
Therefore rid yourselves of all sordidness and rank growth of wickedness, and welcome with meekness the implanted word that has the power to save your souls.

Luke 11:4
"…And forgive us our sins,
               for we ourselves forgive everyone indebted to us.
And do not bring us to the time of trial.”
[Jesus, teaching his disciples to pray]

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