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.

How Can We Boast?--July 17, 2017


We rejoice in you, and in your grace, O God.
Save us from boasting when we excel;
save us from jealousy when others do better;
Jesus was humble--should we be vain?

Lectionary Readings
Ps. 5; 145; 82; 29
1 Sam. 18:5-30
Acts 11:19-30
Mark 1:29-45

Selected Verses
Ps. 5:5a
The boastful will not stand before your eyes…

1 Sam. 18:8-9
Saul was very angry, for this saying displeased him.  He said, "They have ascribed to David tens of thousands, and to me they have ascribed thousands; what more can he have but the kingdom?"  So Saul eyed David from that day on.

Acts 11:19-23a
Now those who were scattered because of the persecution that took place over Stephen traveled as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch, and they spoke the word to no one except Jews.  But among them were some men of Cyprus and Cyrene who, on coming to Antioch, spoke to the Hellenists also, proclaiming the Lord Jesus.  The hand of the Lord was with them, and a great number became believers and turned to the Lord.  News of this came to the ears of the church in Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas to Antioch.  When he came and saw the grace of God, he rejoiced…

Mark 1:43-44
After sternly warning [the man cured of leprosy] [Jesus] sent him away at once,  saying to him, "See that you say nothing to anyone; but go, show yourself to the priest, and offer for your cleansing what Moses commanded, as a testimony to them." 

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