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.

A Matter of the Heart--June 20, 2014


Create in us a clean heart, O God,
and put a new and right spirit within us.
When we are confronted by challenges,
give us a heart to overcome them,
and when we have been hurt by a
another, from the heart may we forgive;
for to be your follower is a matter of the heart.

Lectionary Readings
Ps. 51; 148; 142; 65
Numb. 13:1-3; 21-30
Rom. 2:25-3:8
Matt. 18:21-35

Selected Verses
Ps. 51:10
Create in me a clean heart, O God,
          and put a new and right spirit within me. 

Numb. 13:30
But Caleb quieted the people before Moses, and said, "Let us go up at once and occupy it, for we are well able to overcome it."

Rom. 2:29a
Rather, a person is a Jew who is one inwardly, and real circumcision is a matter of the heart--it is spiritual and not literal. 

Matt. 18:35
"…So my heavenly Father will also do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother or sister from your heart."  [Jesus to Peter and the other disciples]
Posted by Elmer E. Ewing

No comments:

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)