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.

Your Treasure in Clay Jars--May 31, 2013


 Counsel us, O God, with your eye upon us;
instruct us and teach us the way we should go.

Remind us of your mighty hand and outstretched arm,
of your extraordinary power that brings us out of slavery.

May we never forget your treasure you have placed within us;
may we always choose to serve you, not the wealth of this world.

Lectionary Readings

Ps. 130; 148; 32; 139
Deut. 5:1-22
2 Cor. 4:1-12
Luke 16:10-18

Selected Verses

Ps. 32:8
I will instruct you and teach you the way you should go;
          I will counsel you with my eye upon you.

Deut. 5:15a
Remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt, and the Lord your God brought you out from there with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm…

2 Cor. 4:7
But we have this treasure in clay jars, so that it may be made clear that this extraordinary power belongs to God and does not come from us.

Luke 16:13
"…No slave can serve two masters; for a slave will either hate the one and love the other, or be devoted to the one and despise the other.  You cannot serve God and wealth."  [Jesus to the disciples]

No comments:

Post a Comment