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.

Obedience to Christ, not Pharaoh--March 15, 2018



You have called us to be your followers,
and we are a diverse and motley crew;
yet if one of us suffers, we all suffer,
and if one is honored, we all rejoice.
To follow you is to take up our cross;
to follow is to obey you, not Pharaoh.
You are our stronghold; we do not fear.

Lectionary Readings
Ps. 27; 147:12-20; 126; 102
Exod. 1:6-22
1 Cor. 12:12-26
Mark 8:27-9:1

Selected Verses
Ps. 27:1
The LORD is my light and my salvation;
          whom shall I fear?
The LORD is the stronghold of my life;
          of whom shall I be afraid?

Exod. 1:17
But the midwives feared God; they did not do as the king of Egypt commanded them, but they let the boys live. 

1 Cor. 12:26
If one member [of the body] suffers, all suffer together with it; if one member is honored, all rejoice together with it.
Mark 8:34
[Jesus] called the crowd with his disciples, and said to them, "If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.  …"

Posted by Elmer E. Ewing

No comments:

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)