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.

October 09, 2005

I. Readings
Psalms 19, 81, 113
Jeremiah 36:1-10
Acts 14:8-18
Luke 7:36-50

II. Selections
Ps. 19:1
The heavens are telling the glory of God;
and the firmament proclaims his handiwork.

Jer. 36:3
It may be that when the house of Judah hears of all the disasters that I intend to do to them, all of them may turn from their evil ways, so that I may forgive their iniquity and their sin.

Acts 14:17
" ...yet he has not left himself without a witness in doing good-giving you rains from heaven and fruitful seasons, and filling you with food and your hearts with joy." [ Barnabas and Paul]

Luke 7:36-50
[ A woman who was a sinner] stood behind [ Jesus] at his feet, weeping, and began to bathe his feet with her tears and to dry them with her hair. Then she continued kissing his feet and anointing them with the ointment.

III. Meditation: A witness in doing good
The heavens are telling of your glory; and the firmament proclaims your handiwork. You have not left yourself without a witness in doing good-giving us rains from heaven and fruitful seasons, and filling us with food and our hearts with joy. In spite of all the evidence, we have not turned to you. It may be that only disasters will cause us to turn from our evil ways, so that you may forgive our iniquity and our sin. Is our sin less than the sin of the woman who stood weeping at the feet of Jesus-bathing his feet with her tears, drying them with her hair, kissing them, and anointing them with ointment?

Posted by Elmer E. Ewing

No comments:

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)