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.

In the Womb, the Same God Fashioned Us--Sept. 13, 2018


Lord Jesus, you made your promise to everyone:
those of low estate and those of high estate;
Gentiles and Jews; slaves and free.
In the womb, the same God
fashioned us all.

You know the human heart,
and you make no distinctions
among us. Why should we?

Lectionary Readings
Ps. 97; 147:12-20; 16; 62
Job 29:1, 31:1-23
Acts 15:1-11
John 11:17-29

Selected Verses
Ps. 62:9
Those of low estate are but a breath,
          those of high estate are a delusion;
in the balances they go up;
          they are together lighter than a breath. 

Job 31:13-15
"If I have rejected the cause of my male or female slaves, when they brought a complaint against me; what then shall I do when God rises up?  When he makes inquiry, what shall I answer him?  Did not he who made me in the womb make them?  And did not one fashion us in the womb?  …"

Acts 15:8-9
"…And God, who knows the human heart, testified to [the Gentiles] by giving them the Holy Spirit, just as he did to us; and in cleansing their hearts by faith he has made no distinction between them and us.  …"  [Peter, to the apostles and elders] 

John 11:26
"…and everyone who lives and believes in me will never die.  Do you believe this?"  [Jesus to Martha]

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