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.

To Condemn, or not to Condemn?--June 5, 2013


 God, what it will be like,
and how we will recognize it,
when your kingdom is among us?

Will it be when we look with our eyes
and see the punishment of the wicked?

Will it be when we are ready to kill all
who have spoken treason against you?

Or more like having one another
in our hearts, to die together
and to live together?

Lectionary Readings

Ps. 65; 147:1-11; 125; 91
Deut. 13:1-11
2 Cor. 7:2-16
Luke 17:20-37

Selected Verses

Ps. 91:8
You will only look with your eyes
          and see the punishment of the wicked.

Deut. 13:5a, 8-9a
But those prophets or those who divine by dreams shall be put to death for having spoken treason against the LORD your God… you must not yield to or heed any such persons. Show them no pity or compassion and do not shield them.  But you shall surely kill them…

2 Cor. 7:3
I do not say this to condemn you, for I said before that you are in our hearts, to die together and to live together.

Luke 17:20-21
Once Jesus was asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God was coming, and he answered, "The kingdom of God is not coming with things that can be observed; nor will they say, 'Look, here it is!' or 'There it is!' For, in fact, the kingdom of God is among you."

Posted by Elmer E. Ewing

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