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 Worthy of Repentance--May 6, 2014


God of Jacob, you are our help and our God.
Happy are those whose hope is in you.
You have called us to be a priestly
kingdom and your holy nation.

From the power of darkness
rescue us, and transfer us into
the kingdom of your beloved Son,
in whom there is forgiveness of sins,
that we may bear fruit worthy of repentance.

Lectionary Readings
Ps. 98; 146; 66; 116
Exod. 19:1-16
Col. 1:1-14
Matt. 3:7-12

Selected Verses
Ps. 98:5
 Happy are those whose help is the God of Jacob,
          whose hope is in the LORD their God…

Exod. 19:5b-6
"…Indeed, the whole earth is mine, but you shall be for me a priestly kingdom and a holy nation.  These are the words that you shall speak to the Israelites."  [The LORD to the Israelites, through Moses]

Col. 1:13-14
[The Father] has rescued us from the power of darkness and transferred us into the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

Matt. 3:8
"…Bear fruit worthy of repentance.  …"  [John the Baptist to the Pharisees and Sadducees coming for baptism]
Posted by Elmer E. Ewing

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