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.

February 24, 2007

I. Readings
Psalms 31, 43, 143
Deuteronomy 7:17-26
Titus 3:1-15
John 1:43-51

II. Selections
Psalm 143:8
Let me hear of your steadfast love in the morning,
for in you I put my trust.
Teach me the way I should go,
for to you I lift up my soul.

Deuteronomy 7:22
The LORD your God will clear away these nations before you little by little; you will not be able to make a quick end of them, otherwise the wild animals would become too numerous for you.

Titus 3:2
...to speak evil of no one, to avoid quarreling, to be gentle, and to show every courtesy to everyone.

John 1:48a
Nathanael asked [ Jesus], "Where did you get to know me?"

III. Meditation: Clear away

O Lord,
who knew us
before we knew you:

In the morning remind
us of your steadfast love,
for we put our trust in you.
Show us the way we must go;
to you alone we lift up our soul.

Clear away the barriers that block
our way to you; and as you do,
chase from us wild animals-
gossip, quarreling, every
form of heartlessness.

And make us patient,
for surely it will
take a while.

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