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.

June 04, 2007

I. Readings
Psalms 47, 57, 85
Deuteronomy 11:13-19
2 Corinthians 5:11-6:2
Luke 17:1-10

II. Selections
Psalm 85:6
Will you not revive us again,
so that your people may rejoice in you? ;

Deuteronomy 11:16
Take care, or you will be seduced into turning away, serving other gods and worshiping them ...

2 Corinthians 5:17
So if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation: everything old has passed away; see, everything has become new!

Luke 17:4
" ...And if the same person sins against you seven times a day, and turns back to you seven times and says, 'I repent,' you must forgive." [ Jesus to his disciples]

III. Meditation: Everything becoming new

When we are in Christ,
there is a new creation;
everything old passes away,
everything becomes new.

But careful, then,
lest we be seduced
into turning away,
attracted to other gods.

When it happens,
we come asking you
to revive us again,
that we may rejoice in you.

Likewise, if persons come to us,
repenting their sins against us,
asking us to revive the relationship
by forgiving them, can we refuse?

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