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.

The Finger of God--Oct. 25, 2010


I. Readings
Psalms 62, 145, 73, 9
Jonah 1:17-2:10
Revelation 11:1-14
Luke 11:14-26

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

Jonah 2:5-6a
The waters closed in over me;
      the deep surrounded me;
weeds were wrapped around my head
      at the roots of the mountains.

Revelation 11:12
Then [the two slain prophets] heard a loud voice from heaven saying to them, “Come up here!”

Luke 11:20
“…But if it is by the finger of God that I cast out the demons, then the kingdom of God has come to you. … ” [Jesus to the crowd]

III. Meditation

Lord Jesus,
the finger of God was with you;
you brought the kingdom to us.
You are near to all who call on you,
to all who call on you in truth.

When the waters close over us
and the deep surrounds us,
then we will call upon you;
and we will wait for the words,
“Come up here!”
Posted by Elmer E. Ewing

No comments:

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)