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.

Out of My Prison--July 17, 2015

[Modified from July 19 archive]

Now that I am out
of my self-imposed prison,
who will surround me, O God?

Madmen, pretending to be?
Preachers with words of exhortation?
Apostles sent out to proclaim your message?

Let me find the company of the righteous--
oh, not exclusively, not every day--
but when I need renewal.

Other days, into the world,
and you surround me
for my company.

Lectionary Readings
Ps. 51; 148; 142; 65
1 Sam. 21:1-15
Acts 13:13-25
Mark 3:7-19a

Selected Verses
Ps. 142:7
Bring me out of prison,
          so that I may give thanks to your name.
The righteous will surround me,
          for you will deal bountifully with me.

1 Sam. 21:14-15
Achish said to his servants, “Look, you see the man is mad; why then have you brought him to me?  Do I lack madmen, that you have brought this fellow to play the madman in my presence?  Shall this fellow come into my house?”

Acts 13:15
After the reading of the law and the prophets, the officials of the synagogue sent [Paul and his companions] a message, saying, “Brothers, if you have any word of exhortation for the people, give it.” 

Mark 3:13-14
[Jesus] went up the mountain and called to him those whom he wanted, and they came to him.  And he appointed twelve, whom he also named apostles, to be with him, and to be sent out to proclaim the message…

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