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.

Prayers for Life's Beginning and End--Dec. 6, 2015

 [Post No. 4000]

A child is born and we ponder,
what will this child become?
We pray that she will be worthy
of your call, O God; that by your
power you will fulfill in her every
good resolve and work of faith,
and may your hand be with her.

And we, near the end of our life,
ask you not to remember the sins
of our youth or our transgressions;
we ask you to overlook the times
we have turned justice into poison,
the fruit of righteousness into
wormwood.  In your steadfast
love, do not remember these
bitter things, O God--
remember us.

Lectionary Readings
Ps. 24; 150; 25; 110
Amos 6:1-14
2 Thess. 1:5-12
Luke 1:57-68

Selected Verses
Ps. 25:7
  Do not remember the sins of my youth or my transgressions;
          according to your steadfast love remember me,
          for your goodness’ sake, O LORD!

Amos 6:12b
But you have turned justice into poison
        and the fruit of righteousness into wormwood…

2 Thess. 1:11
To this end we always pray for you, asking that our God will make you worthy of his call and will fulfill by his power every good resolve and work of faith…

Luke 1:66
All who heard them pondered them and said, "What then will this child [John] become?" For, indeed, the hand of the Lord was with him.

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