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.

So Quick to Condemn, So Slow to Show Mercy--Sept. 4, 2017


God of all mercy, our salvation comes only from you;
when we are so much in need of your mercy,
why are we so quick to condemn,
so slow to show mercy? 

Teach us instead in silence to wait,
and forgive us our sin against you.

Lectionary Readings
Ps. 62; 145; 73; 9
2 Chron. 6:32-7:7
James 2:1-13
Mark 14:53-65

Selected Verses
Ps. 62:1 
For God alone my soul waits in silence;
          from him comes my salvation. 

2 Chron. 6:39
…then hear from heaven your dwelling place their prayer and their pleas, maintain their cause and forgive your people who have sinned against you. 

James 2:13
For judgment will be without mercy to anyone who has shown no mercy; mercy triumphs over judgment.

Mark 14:63-64
Then the high priest tore his clothes and said, "Why do we still need witnesses?   You have heard his blasphemy!  What is your decision?"  All of them condemned him as deserving death. 

Posted by Elmer E. Ewing

No comments:

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)