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.

December 09, 2008

I. Readings
Psalms 33, 85, 94
Isaiah 5:18-25
1 Thessalonians 5:12-28
Luke 21:29-38

II. Selections
Psalm 94:19
When the cares of my heart are many,
your consolations cheer my soul.

Isaiah 5:19
[ Ah you] who say, "Let him make haste,
let him speed his work
that we may see it;
let the plan of the Holy One of Israel hasten to fulfillment,
that we may know it!"

1 Thessalonians 5:20-22
Do not despise the words of prophets, but test everything; hold fast to what is good; abstain from every form of evil.

Luke 21:36
" ...Be alert at all times, praying that you may have the strength to escape all these things that will take place, and to stand before the Son of Man." [ Jesus to his disciples]

III. Meditation: When the cares of our hearts are many

O God, when the cares of our hearts are many,
your consolations cheer our soul. Take away
our impatience to see your work completed;
but strengthen us to test everything, to hold
fast to what is good and to abstain from evil,
that at last we may stand before you in peace.

Posted by Elmer E. Ewing

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