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.

The Rider on the Red Horse--Oct. 29, 2015


God in heaven, it almost seems like the rider
on the red horse with his great sword
has been permitted to take peace
away from the whole world--
or that an evil one has come
and snatched away the words
you've sown in the hearts of people.

God, you have dealt bountifully with me,
but how can my soul return to its rest when
war and its terror so prevail in the world?
People hate and slaughter one another
until I want to sit down and weep
and mourn and fast before you.
Lord, hear my prayers for peace.

Lectionary Readings
Ps. 116; 147:12-20; 26; 130
Neh. 1:1-11
Rev. 5:11-6:11
Matt. 13:18-23

Selected Verses
Ps. 116:7
Return, O my soul, to your rest,
          for the LORD has dealt bountifully with you.

Neh. 1:4
When I heard these words I sat down and wept, and mourned for days, fasting and praying before the God of heaven.

Rev. 6:4
And out came another horse, bright red; its rider was permitted to take peace from the earth, so that people would slaughter one another; and he was given a great sword.

Matt. 13:19  
"…When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what is sown in the heart; this is what was sown on the path.  …"  [Jesus to his disciples]

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