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.

A Worm, or God's Temple?--Feb. 23, 2018

[From March 10, 2006 archive]

You value us
more than others value us,
more than we value ourselves.
Though we call ourselves worms, sub-human;
though others scorn and despise us,
even cast us into dungeons;
you call us your temple;
you say your Spirit dwells in us.
O Great Physician,
heal our sickness.

Lectionary Readings
Ps. 22; 148; 105; 130
Gen. 40:1-23
1 Cor. 3:16-23
Mark 2:13-22

Selected Verses
Ps. 22:6
But I am a worm, and not human;
scorned by others, and despised by the people.

Gen. 40:15
“…For in fact I was stolen out of the land of the Hebrews; and here also I have done nothing that they should have put me into the dungeon.”  [Joseph to the chief cupbearer]

1 Cor. 3:16
Do you not know that you are God's temple and that God's Spirit dwells in you?

Mark 2:17
When Jesus heard this, he said to them, "Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick; I have come to call not the righteous, but sinners."

Posted by Elmer E. Ewing

No comments:

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)