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.


Preparation for What Lies Ahead--Aug. 26, 2011


Care was taken in building the temple--
no sound of metal could be heard in it.
This was its preparation for what was in store.

Paul was greeted with unusual kindness--
his preparation for the fate that lay before him.

Jesus prayed with everything within him--
then he was ready to rise and meet his betrayer.

O God of my salvation, when, at night,
I cry out to you, incline your ear
and make me ready.

Lectionary Readings
Ps. 88; 148; 6; 20
1 Kings 5:1-6:1, 7
Acts 28:1-16
Mark 14:27-42

Selected Verses
Ps. 88:1-2
O LORD, God of my salvation,
      when, at night, I cry out in your presence,
let my prayer come before you;
      incline your ear to my cry.

1 Kings 6:7
The house was built with stone finished at the quarry, so that neither hammer nor ax nor any tool of iron was heard in the temple while it was being built.

Acts 28:1-2a
After we had reached safety, we then learned that the island was called Malta. The natives showed us unusual kindness.

Mark 14:42
"…Get up, let us be going. See, my betrayer is at hand.” [Jesus to his disciples]



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