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.

December 03, 2005

I. Readings
Psalms 72, 80, 90, 149
Amos 5:18-27
Jude 17-25
Matthew 22:15-22

II. Selections
Psalm 90:1
Lord, you have been our dwelling place
in all generations.

Amos 5:23-24
Take away from me the noise of your songs; I will not listen to the melody of your harps. But let justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like an everflowing stream.

Jude 20-21
But you, beloved, build yourselves up on your most holy faith; pray in the Holy Spirit; keep yourselves in the love of God; look forward to the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ that leads to eternal life.

Matthew 22:21b
Then [ Jesus] said to them, "Give therefore to the emperor the things that are the emperor's, and to God the things that are God's."

III. Meditation: The things that are God's
Faithful God, you have been our dwelling place in all generations. What do you want to receive from us in return? The important thing is not the noise of our songs or the melody of our harps. You want to see justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like an everflowing stream. And you want us to build ourselves up on our faith, pray in the Holy Spirit, keep ourselves in your love, and look forward to the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ that leads to eternal life.

Posted by Elmer E. Ewing

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