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.

September 18, 2008

I. Readings
Psalms 27, 36, 80
Job 28:1-28
Acts 16:25-40
John 12:27-36a

II. Selections
Psalm 80:1
Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel,
you who lead Joseph like a flock!
You who are enthroned upon the cherubim, shine forth ...

Job 28:21
" ...[ Wisdom] is hidden from the eyes of all living,
and concealed from the birds of the air. ... "
[ Job]

Acts 16:30
Then [ the jailer] brought [ Paul and Silas] outside and said, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?"

John 12:36a
" ...While you have the light, believe in the light, so that you may become children of light."

III. Meditation: O Shepherd of Israel

Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel, you who lead Joseph like a flock;
give ear and shine forth, you who are enthroned upon the cherubim.
Your wisdom is hidden from the eyes of all living, but you have given
us Jesus to light our way. Help us to believe in his light, live in his light,
that we may become children of light, for this is what we need to be saved.

Posted by Elmer E. Ewing

No comments:

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)