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 29, 2005

I. Readings
Psalms 63, 90, 125
Nehemiah 4:1-23
Revelation 7:4-17
Matthew 13:31-35

II. Selections
Psalms 63:8
My soul clings to you;
your right hand upholds me.

Nehemiah 4:10
But Judah said, "The strength of the burden bearers is failing, and there is too much rubbish so that we are unable to work on the wall."

Revelation 7:10
They cried out in a loud voice, saying, "Salvation belongs to our God who is seated on the throne, and to the Lamb!"

Matthew 13:33
He told them another parable: "The kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman took and mixed in with three measures of flour until all of it was leavened."

III. Meditation: Your leaven at work
When our strength as burden bearers fails, and rubbish blocks our way, our souls cling to you; your right hand upholds us. We hear a loud voice, "Salvation belongs to our God who is seated on the throne, and to the Lamb!" And we hear your voice, "The kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman took and mixed in with three measures of flour until all of it was leavened." Our strength fails, yet your leaven is at work.

Posted by Elmer E. Ewing

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