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.

November 04, 2005

I. Readings
Psalms 51, 65, 142
Ezra 7:27-28; 8:21-36
Revelation 15:1-8
Matthew 14:13-21

II. Selections
Psalms 51:2
Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity,
and cleanse me from my sin.

Ezra 8:28
And I said to [ the 12 priests], "You are holy to the LORD, and the vessels are holy; and the silver and the gold are a freewill offering to the LORD, the God of your ancestors.

Revelation 15:4a
Lord, who will not fear and glorify your name? For you alone are holy.

Matthew 14:19
Then [ Jesus] ordered the crowds to sit down on the grass. Taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven, and blessed and broke the loaves, and gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds.

III. Meditation: Holy vessels
Lord Jesus, who will not fear and glorify your name? You alone are holy to God; yet you blessed common things and common people, that they might have a share in your holiness. Without your blessing we are not holy. Wash us thoroughly from our iniquity, and cleanse us from our sin, that we may be vessels in your service.

Posted by Elmer E. Ewing

No comments:

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)