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 Hour of Trial to Test the World--Dec. 14, 2015


I confess, dear God, I do not understand much
about the desolating sacrilege in the holy place,
or the measuring line stretched over Jerusalem,
or the hour of trial coming to test the whole world.
I only know that you are good to all, with compassion
over all that you have made; therefore I must trust
that when the time of testing comes,
you will grant to us all, the
patience to endure it.

Lectionary Readings
Ps. 122; 145; 40; 67
Zech. 1:7-17
Rev. 3:7-13
Matt. 24:15-31

Selected Verses
Ps. 145:9
The Lord is good to all,
          and his compassion is over all that he has made.

Zech. 1:16
Therefore, thus says the LORD, I have returned to Jerusalem with compassion; my house shall be built in it, says the LORD of hosts, and the measuring line shall be stretched out over Jerusalem.

Rev. 3:10
"…Because you have kept my word of patient endurance, I will keep you from the hour of trial that is coming on the whole world to test the inhabitants of the earth.  …"  [He who has the seven spirits of God and the seven stars to the angel of the church in Philadelphia]

Matt. 24:15
"So when you see the desolating sacrilege standing in the holy place, as was spoken of by the prophet Daniel (let the reader understand)…" [Jesus to his disciples]

Posted by Elmer E. Ewing

No comments:

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)