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.

January 15, 2008

I. Readings
Psalms 42, 102, 133
Genesis 3:1-24
Hebrews 2:1-10
John 1:19-28

II. Selections
Psalm 133:3
[ When kindred live together in unity,] it is like the dew of Hermon,
which falls on the mountains of Zion.
For there the LORD ordained his blessing,
life forevermore.

Genesis 3:20
The man named his wife Eve, because she was the mother of all living.

Hebrews 2:10
It was fitting that God, for whom and through whom all things exist, in bringing many children to glory, should make the pioneer of their salvation perfect through sufferings.

John 1:26-27
John answered [ the priests and Levites sent from Jerusalem], "I baptize with water. Among you stands one whom you do not know, the one who is coming after me; I am not worthy to untie the thong of his sandal."

III. Meditation: Like dew on the mountains

All will agree that when kindred live together
in unity, it refreshes like dew on the mountains;
but our view of who our kindred are is too narrow.

Eve was the mother of us all; all are kindred-
all humanity must live together in unity. Then
you will ordain your blessing, life forevermore.

Meanwhile, among us stands one we do not know-
the pioneer of our salvation, through suffering made
perfect. We are not worthy to untie his sandal thong.

Posted by Elmer E. Ewing

No comments:

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)