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 30, 2008

I. Readings
Psalms 7, 12, 36
Hosea 2:16-23
Acts 21:1-14
Luke 5:12-26

II. Selections
Psalm 7:15
They make a pit, digging it out,
and fall into the hole that they have made.

Hosea 2:18
I will make for you a covenant on that day with the wild animals, the birds of the air, and the creeping things of the ground; and I will abolish the bow, the sword, and war from the land; and I will make you lie down in safety.

Acts 21:14
Since [ Paul] would not be persuaded, we remained silent except to say, "The Lord's will be done."

Luke 5:12
Once, when [ Jesus] was in one of the cities, there was a man covered with leprosy. When he saw Jesus, he bowed with his face to the ground and begged him, "Lord, if you choose, you can make me clean."

III. Meditation: Abolish from the land

Sovereign God,
We decide to make a pit to ensnare others-
we dig it out and fall into the hole ourselves.
We strive to persuade others and usually fail;
but eventually you succeed in your purpose;
your will is done, on earth as it is in heaven.
Make for your whole creation a covenant-
all weapons of destruction will be abolished,
wars will end, and all will lie down in safety.
We pray in the name of Jesus, our Lord.

Posted by Elmer E. Ewing

No comments:

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)