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.

November 06, 2008

I. Readings
Psalms 16, 62, 97
Zephaniah 3:1-7
Revelation 16:12-21
Luke 13:18-30

II. Selections
Psalm 62:11-12a
Once God has spoken;
twice I have heard this:
that power belongs to God,
and steadfast love belongs to you, O Lord.

Zephaniah 3:2
[ Jerusalem] has listened to no voice;
it has accepted no correction.
It has not trusted in the LORD;
it has not drawn near to its God.

Revelation 16:13
And I saw three foul spirits like frogs coming from the mouth of the dragon, from the mouth of the beast, and from the mouth of the false prophet.

Luke 13:19
" ...[ The kingdom of God] is like a mustard seed that someone took and sowed in the garden; it grew and became a tree, and the birds of the air made nests in its branches." [ Jesus to the crowd]

III. Meditation: Once you have spoken, twice we have heard

When we do not listen to you or accept your correction;
when we have not trusted in you, or drawn near to you,
we forget that power and steadfast love belong to you.

But if a mustard seed of your kingdom starts to grow
in our hearts, it will disperse all the foul spirits that
come from mouth of dragon, beast, false prophet.

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