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 19, 2005

I. Readings
Psalms 63, 100, 122
Nehemiah 7:73b-8:3, 5-18
Revelation 22:14-21
Matthew 18:21-35

II. Selections
Psalms 122:6-7
Pray for the peace of Jerusalem:
"May they prosper who love you.
Peace be within your walls,
and security within your towers."

Nehemiah 8:10
Then [ Nehemiah] said to them, "Go your way, eat the fat and drink sweet wine and send portions of them to those for whom nothing is prepared, for this day is holy to our LORD; and do not be grieved, for the joy of the LORD is your strength."

Revelation 22:14
Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they will have the right to the tree of life and may enter the city by the gates.

Matthew 18:33
' ...Should you not have had mercy on your fellow slave, as I had mercy on you?'

III. Meditation: Your joy is our strength.
You have had mercy on us; why have we not had mercy on our fellow servants? Help us wash the unforgiveness from our robes, that we may have the right to the tree of life and may enter the city by the gates. We pray for the peace of Jerusalem; may peace be within its walls and security within its towers. Now send us on our way, to eat the fat and drink sweet wine and send portions of them to those for whom nothing is prepared, for this day is holy to you. Take away our grief; your joy is our strength.

Posted by Elmer E. Ewing

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