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.

To Whom Much Has Been Given--June 17, 2018



God, how many your benefits:
you have blessed us and kept us,
and made your face to shine upon us;
you have been gracious and given us peace.
To whom much is given, much is required;
you have entrusted us with much,
and you expect even more.
Your paths are straight;
forbid that we should
make them crooked.

Lectionary Readings
Ps. 103; 150; 117; 139
Numb. 6:22-27
Acts 13:1-12
Luke 12:41-48

Selected Verses
Ps. 103:2
Bless the LORD, O my soul,
          and do not forget all his benefits…

Numb. 6:24-26
The LORD bless you and keep you; the LORD make his face to shine upon you, and be gracious to you; the LORD lift up his countenance upon you, and give you peace.

Acts 13:9b-10
…Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, looked intently at [Elymas the magician] and said, "You son of the devil, you enemy of all righteousness, full of all deceit and villainy, will you not stop making crooked the straight paths of the Lord?  …"

Luke 12:48b
"…From everyone to whom much has been given, much will be required; and from the one to whom much has been entrusted, even more will be demanded.  …"

Posted by Elmer E. Ewing

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