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.

December 27, 2007

I. Readings
Psalms 19, 34, 121
Proverbs 8:22-30
1 John 5:1-12
John 13:20-35

II. Selections
Psalm 34:14
Depart from evil, and do good;
seek peace, and pursue it.

Proverbs 8:22
The LORD created me at the beginning of his work,
the first of his acts of long ago.
[ Wisdom speaking]

1 John 5:3
For the love of God is this, that we obey his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome ...

John 13:34
" ...I give you a new commandment, that you should love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another. ... "

III. Meditation: Love is not a burden

Your wisdom is from old, the first of your acts,
for you created it at the beginning of your work.

To love you is to obey your commandments,
and you have commanded us to love one another.

To love one another is not a burden; we must only
remember to love each other as you have loved us.

If we love one another, we will depart from evil
and do good; we will seek peace and pursue it.

Posted by Elmer E. Ewing

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