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.

January 27, 2006

I. Readings
Psalms 6, 20, 88
Genesis 17:15-27
Hebrews 10:11-25
John 6:1-15

II. Selections
Psalm 88:8b-9a
I am shut in so that I cannot escape;
my eye grows dim through sorrow.

Genesis 17:21
" ...But my covenant I will establish with Isaac, whom Sarah shall bear to you at this season next year."

Hebrews 10:23
Let us hold fast to the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who has promised is faithful.

John 6:5-6
When he looked up and saw a large crowd coming toward him, Jesus said to Philip, "Where are we to buy bread for these people to eat?" He said this to test him, for he himself knew what he was going to do.

III. Meditation: When our eyes grow dim through sorrow
The crowd approaches.
Shut in so that we cannot escape,
our eyes grow dim through sorrow-
a terrible, hopeless feeling.

Is it your way of testing us,
when you yourself know
what you're going to do,
where you will find the bread?

The covenant is established;
you have promised, and you are faithful.
We have confessed our hope;
let us hold fast without wavering.

No comments:

Post a Comment