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.

July 01, 2008

Psalms 28, 54, 99
Numbers 22:21-38
Romans 7:1-12
Matthew 21:23-32

II. Selections
Psalm 28:8
The LORD is the strength of his people;
he is the saving refuge of his anointed.

Numbers 22:37
Balak said Balaam, "Did I not send to summon you? Why did you not come to me? Am I not able to honor you?"

Romans 7:4
In the same way, my friends, you have died to the law through the body of Christ, so that you may belong to another, to him who has been raised from the dead in order that we may bear fruit for God.

Matthew 21:28-29
" ...What do you think? A man had two sons; he went to the first and said, "Son, go and work in the vineyard today.' He answered, 'I will not'; but later he changed his mind and went. ... " [ Jesus to the chief priests and elders]

III. Meditation: We have been summoned

Honor summons us to come and receive a reward,
but the reward of honor amounts to nothing.

Your summons is different-you are our strength
and our saving refuge. When you call, we must come.

We belong to him whom you raised from the dead,
in order that we may bear fruit for you.

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