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.

November 07, 2006

I. Readings
Psalms 42, 102, 133
Zephaniah 1:14-18
Revelation 14:14-15:8
Luke 13:1-9

II. Selections
Psalm 133:1, 3a
How very good and pleasant it is
when kindred live together in unity! ...
It is like the dew of Hermon,
which falls on the mountains of Zion.

Zephaniah 1:18a
Neither their silver nor their gold
will be able to save them
on the day of the LORD's wrath ...

Revelation 15:2-3a
And I saw what appeared to be a sea of glass mixed with fire, and those who had conquered the beast and its image and the number of its name, standing beside the sea of glass with harps of God in their hands. And they sing the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb ...

Luke 13:8-9
" ...[ The gardener] replied [ to the landowner], 'Sir, let it alone for one more year, until I dig around it and put manure on it. If it bears fruit next year, well and good; but if not, you can cut it down.'" [ from Jesus' parable of the barren fig tree]

III. Meditation: Images

How divergent these images of you.

Terrifying-
God of wrath, who cannot be bought off with silver or gold

Severe-
God of limited patience, who must be begged for one last chance

Glory-filled-
Serenaded by harp-playing saints next to a sea of fiery glass

Heart-warming-
Blessing kindred who live together in unity

Can each contain a degree of validity?

Posted by Elmer E. Ewing

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