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.

By Your Grace--Mar. 26, 2015


You who do not despise
the prayer of the destitute,
hear our prayer, O Lord,
that we may not ignore,
or worse yet punish,
any who speak in
your name.
By your grace
you have shown us
your works; by your grace
help us believe in them and in you.

Lectionary Readings
Ps. 27; 147:12-20; 126; 102
Jer. 26:1-24
Rom. 11:1-12
John 10:19-42

Selected Verses
Ps. 102:17
[The LORD] will regard the prayer of the destitute,
          and will not despise their prayer. 

Jer. 26:16
Then the officials and all the people said to the priests and the prophets, “This man [Jeremiah] does not deserve the sentence of death, for he has spoken to us in the name of the LORD our God.”

Rom. 11:5-6
So too at the present time there is a remnant, chosen by grace.  But if it is by grace, it is no longer on the basis of works, otherwise grace would no longer be grace.

John 10:38
"…But if I do [the works of my Father], even though you do not believe me, believe the works, so that you may know and understand that the Father is in me and I am in the Father.”  [Jesus to those who wanted to stone him]
Posted by Elmer E. Ewing

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