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.

January 13, 2007

2007 January 13

I. Readings
Psalms 98, 104, 138
Isaiah 42:18-43:13
Ephesians 3:14-21
Mark 2:23-3:6

II. Selections
Psalm 104:33
I will sing to the LORD as long as I live;
I will sing praises to my God while I have being.

Isaiah 43:1b
Do not fear, for I have redeemed you;
I have called you by name, you are mine.

Ephesians 3:20
Now to him who by the power at work within us is able to accomplish abundantly far more than all we can ask or imagine ...

Mark 3:5
[ Jesus] looked around at [ the Pharisees] with anger; he was grieved at their hardness of heart and said to the man, "Stretch out your hand." He stretched it out, and his hand was restored.

III. Meditation: Your power at work within us

Your power at work within us could do
far more than all we can ask or imagine;
but we must be willing to stretch out our hand-
how grievous to you is our hardness of heart!

You have called us by name, we are yours.
You have redeemed us, we will not fear.
We will sing to you as long as we live;
while we have being, we will sing praises.

No comments:

Post a Comment