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.

All the Trees of the Forest Will Sing for Joy--Dec. 25, 2015


All the peoples walk, each in the name
of its god; we walk in your name, O God.

Jesus is coming, coming to judge the earth,
and all the trees of the forest will sing for joy.

He whom you sent spoke your words; he gave the
Spirit without measure and showed us how to love--
you are love, and those who abide in love, abide in you.

Lectionary Readings
Ps. 2; 148; 98; 96
Micah 4:1-5, 5:2-4
1 John 4:7-16
John 3:31-36

Selected Verses
Ps. 96:12b-13a
Then shall all the trees of the forest sing for joy
          before the LORD; for he is coming,
          for he is coming to judge the earth. 

Micah 4:4-5
For all the peoples walk,
            each in the name of its god,
but we will walk in the name of the LORD our God
            forever and ever.

1 John 4:16
God is love, and those who abide in love abide in God, and God abides in them.

John 3:34
He whom God has sent speaks the words of God, for he gives the Spirit without measure.
Posted by Elmer E. Ewing

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