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.

October 23, 2006

I. Readings
Psalms 47, 57, 85
Micah 2:1-13
Revelation 7:1-8
Luke 9:51-62

II. Selections
Psalm 85:4
Restore us again, O God of our salvation,
and put away your indignation toward us.

Micah 2:6
"Do not preach"-thus they preach-
"one should not preach of such things;
disgrace will not overtake us."

Revelation 7:1
After this I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth, holding back the four winds of the earth so that no wind could blow on earth or sea or against any tree.

Luke 9:54-55
When [ Jesus'] disciples James and John saw [ the refusal of the Samaritans to receive Jesus], they said, "Lord, do you want us to command fire to come down from heaven and consume them?" But he turned and rebuked them.

III. Meditation: Holding back

O God of our salvation, restore us again.
How often you have held back your indignation toward us,
how often your angels have held back the destroying winds!

If you must destroy, send down fire upon your enemies-
especially if they are our enemies, too-but do not include us.
And do not make us listen to preaching about our own disgrace.

You turn to us, Lord Jesus, and rebuke us!
We are as self-centered and unforgiving
as James and John.

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