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.

Lest I Yell, "Crucify"--Sept. 7, 2017


Christ, draw me near to you, lest I be double-minded,
and purify my heart, lest it turn away from you.
Do not let me be swept away with sinners,
nor my life with the bloodthirsty,
lest I be joined with those
who yell, "crucify."

Lectionary Readings
Ps. 116; 147:12-20; 26; 130
1 Kings 11:1-13
James 3:13-4:12
Mark 15:12-21

Selected Verses
Ps. 26:9
Do not sweep me away with sinners,
          nor my life with the bloodthirsty…

1 Kings 11:4
For when Solomon was old, his wives turned away his heart after other gods; and his heart was not true to the LORD his God, as was the heart of his father David. 

James 4:8
Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you.  Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.

Mark 15:12-14
Pilate spoke to [the crowd] again, "Then what do you wish me to do with the man you call the King of the Jews?"  They shouted back, "Crucify him!"  Pilate asked them, "Why, what evil has he done?" But they shouted all the more, "Crucify him!"

Posted by Elmer E. Ewing

No comments:

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)