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.

Save from, Curse, or Bless?--July 3, 2014

[From July 5, 2012 archive]

We want you to save us from our enemies;
at least, we want you to curse them;

yet sometimes it seems that you bless them--
even invite them to the wedding feast.

Gracious God, set our minds on the Spirit,
that we may enjoy life and peace.

Lectionary Readings
Ps. 143; 147:12-20; 81; 116
Numb. 23:11-26
Rom. 8:1-11
Matt. 22:1-14

Selected Verses
Ps. 143:9
 Save me, O LORD, from my enemies;
          I have fled to you for refuge.

Numb. 23:11
Then Balak said to Balaam, "What have you done to me?  I brought you to curse my enemies, but now you have done nothing but bless them."

Rom. 8:6
To set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace.

Matt. 22:8-9
"…Then [the king] said to his slaves, 'The wedding is ready, but those invited were not worthy.  Go therefore into the main streets, and invite everyone you find to the wedding banquet.'  …"  [Jesus' parable of the wedding banquet]
Posted by Elmer E. Ewing

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