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.

Out of Thick Darkness, Power and Strength--April 19, 2018



Awesome God,
Though you are in thick darkness,
you give power and strength to your people.
Encourage our hearts and unite us in love,
remind us that we do not live by bread alone,
and give us knowledge of your mystery--
Christ himself.

Lectionary Readings
Ps. 47; 147:12-20; 68; 113
Exod. 20:1-21
Col. 1:24-2:7
Matt. 4:1-11

Selected Verses
Ps. 68:35
Awesome is God in his sanctuary,
          the God of Israel;
          he gives power and strength to his people.
 Blessed be God!

Exod. 20:21
Then the people stood at a distance, while Moses drew near to the thick darkness where God was.

Col. 2:2
I want their hearts to be encouraged and united in love, so that they may have all the riches of assured understanding and have the knowledge of God's mystery, that is, Christ himself…

Matt. 4:4
But [Jesus] answered [the devil], "It is written, 'One does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.'"

Posted by Elmer E. Ewing

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