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.


Be in Our Midst--Dec. 19, 2011



Be gracious to us and bless us, O God,
and make your face to shine upon us,

that your way may be know upon earth,
your saving power among all nations.

Rejoice over your people with loud singing;
be in their midst to renew them in your love.

Take away our fears, and hear our prayer;
make our deeds consistent with our faith.

Lectionary Readings
Ps. 122; 145; 40; 67
Zeph. 3:14-20
Titus 1:1-16
Luke 1:1-25

Selected Verses
Ps. 67:1-2
May God be gracious to us and bless us
     and make his face to shine upon us,
                                                            Selah
that your way may be known upon earth,
      your saving power among all nations.

Zeph. 3:17
The LORD, your God, is in your midst,
      a warrior who gives victory;
he will rejoice over you with gladness,
      he will renew you in his love;
he will exult over you with loud singing…

Titus 1:16a
They profess to know God, but they deny him by their actions.

Luke 1:13a
But the angel said to [Zechariah], "Do not be afraid, Zechariah, for your prayer has been heard. …"

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