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.

Our Short Life, Your Long Memory--Dec. 31, 2015

[From Dec. 31, 2005 archive] 

What is our life?
A mist that appears for a little while and vanishes.
Tomorrow is a mystery.

But we understand the problem of the lame man,
who had no one to put him into the pool
when the water roiled up.
People are always stepping in ahead of us
while we are making our way, too.

Therefore with Solomon we ask
for an understanding mind,
a mind able to discern between good and evil—
not to govern a nation,
just our own thoughts and actions.

No, we don’t know what tomorrow will bring,
and we have forgotten most of yesterday;
but we know that you will remember
your steadfast love and faithfulness,
and that to you belongs the victory.

Readings
Ps. 98, 147:12-20; 45; 96
1 Kings 3:5-14
James 4:13-17; 5:7-11
John 5:1-15

Selections
Psalms 98:3
He has remembered his steadfast love and faithfulness
to the house of Israel.
All the ends of the earth have seen
the victory of our God.

1 Kings 3:9
"…Give your servant therefore an understanding mind to govern your people, able to discern between good and evil; for who can govern this your great people?"  [Solomon to the LORD, in a dream]

James 4:14
Yet you do not even know what tomorrow will bring.  What is your life?  For you are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.

John 5:7
The sick man answered [Jesus], "Sir, I have no one to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up; and while I am making my way, someone else steps down ahead of me."

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