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.

From Our Comfortable Place--July 18, 2018


[From July 18, 2012 archive]

From you, through you, to you are all things.
You love righteousness and justice;
the earth is full of your
steadfast love.

When we set out from our comfortable place,
may we see you in the hungry or thirsty,
in the stranger or the naked or sick,
see you in the lonely prisoner;

and having seen you, dear Lord,
may we remember your steadfast love
and your love for righteousness and justice.
Then following you, we will know the way to go.

To you be the glory forever.  Amen.

Lectionary Readings
Ps. 89:1-18; 147:1-11; 1; 33
Josh. 3:1-13
Rom. 11:25-36
Matt. 25:31-46

Selected Verses
Ps. 33:5
He loves righteousness and justice;
          the earth is full of the steadfast love of the LORD.

Josh. 3:2-4a
At the end of three days the officers went through the camp and commanded the people, "When you see the ark of the covenant of the LORD your God being carried by the levitical priests, then you shall set out from your place.  Follow it, so that you may know the way you should go, for you have not passed this way before.  …"

Rom. 11:36
For from him and through him and to him are all things.  To him be the glory forever. Amen.

Matt. 25:44
"Then they also will answer, 'Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not take care of you?'  …" [Jesus to his disciples]

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