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.

March 21, 2007

I. Readings
Psalms 5, 27, 51
Jeremiah 18:1-11
Romans 8:1-11
John 6:27-40

II. Selections
Psalm 51:17
The sacrifice acceptable to God is a broken spirit;
a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.

Jeremiah 18:4
The vessel he was making of clay was spoiled in the potter's hand, and he reworked it into another vessel, as seemed good to him.

Romans 8:10
But if Christ is in you, though the body is dead because of sin, the Spirit is life because of righteousness.

John 6:33
" ... For the bread of God is that which comes down from heaven and gives life to the world." [ Jesus to the crowd]

III. Meditation: Bread of God come down from heaven

A proud spirit
A hard heart
A body dead with sin
A spoiled clay vessel

A broken spirit
A contrite heart
Life in the Spirit
A new vessel of clay

What a contrast
when your bread
comes down
and gives us life!

Posted by Elmer E. Ewing

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