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.

March 22, 2010

To All Who Call on You

I. Readings
Psalms 119:73-80, 145, 121, 6
Exodus 4:10-31
1 Corinthians 14:1-19
Mark 9:30-41

II. Selections
Psalm 145:18
The LORD is near to all who call on him,
to all who call on him in truth.

Exodus 4:15
You shall speak to [your brother Aaron] and put the words in his mouth; and I will be with your mouth and with his mouth, and will teach you what you shall do.

1 Corinthians 14:1
Pursue love and strive for the spiritual gifts, and especially that you may prophesy.

Mark 9:33-34
Then [Jesus and his disciples] came to Capernaum; and when he was in the house he asked them, “What were you arguing about on the way?” But they were silent, for on the way they had argued with one another who was the greatest.

III. Meditation

O God, you are near to all who call
on you, all who call on you in truth.

Be with our mouths and teach us
what we should say and do.

For we argue; but—when we meet you—
we fall silent, ashamed of our words.

So be near us, that we may pursue love
and strive for the spiritual gifts.

No comments:

Post a Comment