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.

As God Is Merciful--Oct. 6, 2012


 We take our wealth with us and seek to find you;
but we do not find you; you are withdrawn from us.

Perhaps what you ask us to do is to share our wealth
with those in need; to be merciful as you are merciful.
Then will our souls be satisfied as with a rich feast.

Open our hearts to your message, lest we be like those
who would not accept Paul's testimony in Jerusalem.

Lectionary Readings

Ps. 63; 149; 125; 90
Hosea 5:1-7
Acts 22:17-29
Luke 6:27-38

 

Selected Verses

Ps. 63:5
My soul is satisfied as with a rich feast,
          and my mouth praises you with joyful lips…

Hosea 5:6
With their flocks and herds [Israel and Judah] shall go to seek the LORD, but they will not find him; he has withdrawn from them.

Acts 22:17-18
After I had returned to Jerusalem and while I was praying in the temple, I fell into a trance and saw Jesus saying to me, 'Hurry and get out of Jerusalem quickly, because they will not accept your testimony about me.'  …"  [Paul, to the people who had been rioting]

Luke 6:35-36
But love your enemies, do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return.  Your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High; for he is kind to the ungrateful and the wicked.  Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.

Posted by Elmer E. Ewing

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