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.

July 08, 2006

Readings
Psalms 63, 100, 122
Numbers 24:12-25
Romans 8:18-25
Matthew 22:23-40

Selections
Psalm 100:2
Worship the LORD with gladness;
come into his presence with singing.

Numbers 24:17a
"...I see him, but not now;
I behold him, but not near..."

Romans 8:24
For in hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what is seen?

Matthew 22:31-32
"...And as for the resurrection of the dead, have you not read what was said to you by God, 'I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob'? He is God not of the dead, but of the living." [ Jesus to the Sadducees]

Meditation: In hope we are saved

God whom we see, but not now,
whom we behold, but not near,
in gladness we worship you
and come into your presence with singing.

Though we see you not,
in you is our hope
and in hope is our salvation.

You are the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob,
God of the living, and not of the dead,
though we see you not, in you is our hope,
and in hope our salvation.

Posted by Elmer E. Ewing

No comments:

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)