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.

August 11, 2008

I. Readings
Psalms 5, 29, 82
Judges 12:1-7
Acts 5:12-26
John 3:1-21

II. Selections
Psalms 29:1
Ascribe to the LORD, O heavenly beings,
ascribe to the LORD glory and strength.

Judges 12:1
The men of Ephraim were called to arms, and they crossed to Zaphon and said to Jephthah, "Why did you cross over to fight against the Ammonites, and did not call us to go with you? We will burn your house down over you!"

Acts 5:17-18
Then the high priest took action; he and all who were with him (that is, the sect of Sadducees), being filled with jealousy, arrested the apostles and put them in the public prison.

John 3:3
Jesus answered [ Nicodemus], "Very truly, I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God without being born from above."

III. Meditation: Jealousy burns down houses

Jealousy made the men of Ephraim
want to burn down Jephthah's house;
jealousy made the Sadducees arrest
the apostles and put them in prison.

Cleanse us from jealous thoughts,
that we may be born from above,
and see your kingdom, and ascribe
all glory and strength to you.

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