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.

December 12, 2006

I. Readings
Psalms 33, 85, 94
Isaiah 5:18-25
1 Thessalonians 5:12-28
Luke 21:29-38

II. Selections
Psalm 85:11
Faithfulness will spring up from the ground,
and righteousness will look down from the sky.

Isaiah 5:18
Ah, you who drag iniquity along with cords of falsehood,
who drag sin along as with cart ropes ...

1 Thessalonians 5:20-21
Do not despise the words of prophets, but test everything; hold fast to what is good; abstain from every form of evil.

Luke 21:36
" ...Be alert at all times, praying that you may have the strength to escape all these things that will take place, and to stand before the Son of Man." [ Jesus to his disciples]

III. Meditation: Cut the cords

Cut the thick cords of falsehood
by which we drag along our iniquity,
the cart ropes that attach us to our sin.
May our faithfulness spring up toward you
even as your righteousness looks down on us.

Keep us alert always, at all times praying-
for wisdom to test the words of prophets,
for strength to hold fast what is good,
for courage to resist all forms of evil;
for every day we stand before you.

Posted by Elmer E. Ewing

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