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.

November 29, 2007

I. Readings
Psalms 26, 116, 130
Zephaniah 3:1-13
1 Peter 2:11-25
Matthew 20:1-16

II. Selections
Psalm 130:1
Out of the depths I cry to you, O LORD.

Zephaniah 3:1-2
Ah, soiled, defiled,
oppressing city!
It has listened to no voice;
it has accepted no correction.
It has not trusted in the LORD;
it has not drawn near to its God.

1 Peter 2:11
Beloved, I urge you as aliens and exiles to abstain from the desires of the flesh that wage war against the soul.

Matthew 20:16
" ...So the last will be first, and the first will be last." [ Jesus, concluding the parable of the laborers in the vineyard]

III. Meditation: Out of the depths

Out of the depths we cry to you, O God.

Desires of the flesh have waged war on our soul;
we are soiled and defiled from oppressing others;
have listened to no voice, accepted no correction;
have not trusted in you nor drawn near to you.

We deserve to be last. From the depths will you hear us?

Posted by Elmer E. Ewing

No comments:

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)