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.

February 15, 2006

I. Readings
Psalms 4, 15, 48
Genesis 31:25-50
1 John 2:12-17
John 10:1-18

II. Selections
Psalm 4:7
You have put gladness in my heart
more than when their grain and wine abound.

Genesis 31:36
Then Jacob became angry, and upbraided Laban. Jacob said to Laban, "What is my offense? What is my sin, that you have hotly pursued me?"

1 John 2:14c
I write to you, young people, because you are strong and the word of God abides in you, and you have overcome the evil one.

John 10:4
" ...When [ the shepherd] has brought out all his own, he goes ahead of them, and the sheep follow him because they know his voice ..."

III. Meditation: Anger or gladness
As Jacob and Laban were angry with each other,
and each was justified, and each was wrong,
so is our anger with one another.

Replace our anger with gladness for what you have done.
Make us strong, and let your word abide in us,
that we may overcome the evil one.

You have brought us out,
and you have gone ahead of us.
We know your voice-may we follow you.

Posted by Elmer E. Ewing

No comments:

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)