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.

Willingness Must Accompany Obeisance--Aug. 14, 2013


Absalom prostrated himself with his face to the ground
before his father, the king, and received David's kiss;
all the while he was plotting to depose and kill him.

A man very rich in possessions knelt before Jesus
and asked him what he should do to inherit eternal life;
but when Jesus answered him, the man went away sadly.

It is not sufficient to come and kneel in your presence
as we ask for your steadfast love to be upon us;
we must be prepared to do what you tell us.


Lectionary Readings

Ps. 89:1-18; 147:1-11; 1; 33
2 Sam. 14:21-33
Acts 21:15-26
Mark 10:17-31

Selected Verses

Ps. 33:22
 Let your steadfast love, O LORD, be upon us,
          even as we hope in you.

2 Sam. 14:33b
So [Absalom] came to the king and prostrated himself with his face to the ground before the king; and the king kissed Absalom.

Acts 21:23a
"…So do what we tell you. …"  [James and all the Jerusalem elders to Paul]

Mark 10:17, 22
As [Jesus] was setting out on a journey, a man ran up and knelt before him, and asked him, "Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?" …When he heard [what Jesus told him], he was shocked and went away grieving, for he had many possessions.

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