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.
Gladness in Our Hearts--July 22, 2015

Lord Jesus--
You have put gladness in our hearts,
more than food and drink to us,
for you calm us and give us peace.
Keep us from avenging ourselves,
for we entrust ourselves to you.

Lectionary Readings
Ps. 15; 147:1-11; 48; 4
1 Sam. 25:23-44
Acts 14:19-28
Mark 4:35-41

Selected Verses
Ps. 4:7
You have put gladness in my heart
          more than when their grain and wine abound.

1 Sam. 25:33
"…Blessed be your good sense, and blessed be you, who have kept me today from bloodguilt and from avenging myself by my own hand!  …"  [David to Abigail]

Acts 14:23
And after [Paul and Barnabas] had appointed elders for them in each church, with prayer and fasting they entrusted them to the Lord in whom they had come to believe.

Mark 4:39
[Jesus] woke up and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Peace! Be still!”  Then the wind ceased, and there was a dead calm. 

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