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 Bear Fruit Upward--Oct. 5, 2013


 Dear God, you have been our help;
so we in the shadow of your wings 
 very many times have sung for joy.

Why, then, have we so little faith?
Why so much in fear of perishing?

You are faithful though we are not.
When trouble comes, you provide
the way out, and we can endure it.

Give us the strength to take root
downward into our faith history,
and to bear fruit upward to you.

Lectionary Readings

Ps. 63; 149; 125; 90
2 Kings 19:21-36
1 Cor. 10:1-13
Matt. 8:18-27

Selected Verses

Ps. 63:7
…for you have been my help,
          and in the shadow of your wings I sing for joy.

2 Kings 19:30
"…The surviving remnant of the house of Judah shall again take root downward, and bear fruit upward…"  [The LORD in response to the threats of the Assyrian king]

1 Cor. 10:13b
God is faithful, and he will not let you be tested beyond your strength, but with the testing he will also provide the way out so that you may be able to endure it.

Matt. 8:25-26a
And [the disciples] went and woke [Jesus] up, saying, "Lord, save us!  We are perishing!"   And he said to them, "Why are you afraid, you of little faith?  …"

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