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 Goodly Heritage in the Faith--July 16, 2015


You have given us a goodly heritage in the faith,
Lord Jesus--courage in the face of hardness of heart,
the love of two friends overcoming dysfunctional hatred,
a willingness to seek guidance from your Holy Spirit,
and then to act upon it no matter where it leads.

Lectionary Readings
Ps. 97; 147:12-20; 16; 62
1 Sam. 20:24-42
Acts 13:1-12
Mark 2:23-3:6

Selected Verses
Ps. 16:6
The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places;
          I have a goodly heritage.

1 Sam. 20:41
As soon as the boy had gone, David rose from beside the stone heap and prostrated himself with his face to the ground.  He bowed three times, and [he and Jonathan] kissed each other, and wept with each other; David wept the more.

Acts 13:2-3
While [Saul and his friends] were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.”  Then after fasting and praying they laid their hands on them and sent them off.

Mark 3:5
[Jesus] looked around at [the Pharisees] with anger; he was grieved at their hardness of heart and said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.”  He stretched it out, and his hand was restored.
Posted by Elmer E. Ewing

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