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.

When You Come to Live in Our Midst--Dec. 19, 2015

[From Dec. 19, 2013 archive] 

Jesus our king, when you come to live in our midst
we shall fear disaster no more.  Those who have
sown in tears will weep with shouts of joy.

Turn the hearts of parents to their children; turn the
disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous,
so that we may prepare for your coming
and for the revelation of your word.

Lectionary Readings
Ps. 18:1-20; 147:12-20; 126; 62
Zeph. 3:14-20
Titus 1:1-16
Luke 1:1-25

Selected Verses
Ps. 126:5
May those who sow in tears
          reap with shouts of joy.

Zeph. 3:15b
The king of Israel, the LORD, is in your midst;
            you shall fear disaster no more.

Titus 1:3
…in due time [God] revealed his word through the proclamation with which I have been entrusted by the command of God our Savior…  

Luke 1:17
"…With the spirit and power of Elijah [your son] will go before [the Lord], to turn the hearts of parents to their children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous, to make ready a people prepared for the Lord."  [The angel Gabriel to Zechariah]

No comments:

Post a Comment