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.

Like a Shepherd--Jan. 11, 2015


Holy God, clothed with honor and majesty,
wrapped in light as with a garment,
you have given us your Son,
the reflection of your glory.
The light shines in the darkness;
O, do not let the darkness overcome it.

Many in our world today suffer greatly;
gather these lambs in your arms.
They are hungry--feed them,
carry them in your bosom;
they are lost--gently lead them,
save them from the ravages of war; 
sustain them with your powerful hand.

Lectionary Readings
Ps. 104; 150; 29
Isa. 40:1-11
Heb. 1:1-12
John 1:1-7, 19-20, 29-34

Selected Verses
Ps. 104:1c-2a
You are clothed with honor and majesty,
         wrapped in light as with a garment. 

Isa. 40:11
He will feed his flock like a shepherd;
          he will gather the lambs in his arms,
and carry them in his bosom,
          and gently lead the mother sheep.

Heb. 1:3a
[His Son] is the reflection of God’s glory and the exact imprint of God’s very being, and he sustains all things by his powerful word. 

John 1:5
The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it.

No comments:

Post a Comment