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.

Though the Mountains Depart--Feb. 7, 2019


Gracious God, righteous and merciful,
have compassion on us, we pray.
Help us set our minds on you.

For freedom Christ has set us free;
may we never submit again
to a yoke of slavery.

Though the mountains depart,
and the hills be removed,
your steadfast love
will not depart.

Lectionary Readings
Ps. 116; 147:12-20; 26; 130
Isa. 54:1-17
Gal. 5:1-15
Mark 8:27-9:1

Selected Verses
Ps. 116:5
Gracious is the LORD, and righteous;
          our God is merciful. 

Isa. 54:10
For the mountains may depart
          and the hills be removed,
but my steadfast love shall not depart from you,
          and my covenant of peace shall not be removed,
          says the LORD, who has compassion on you.

Gal. 5:1
For freedom Christ has set us free.  Stand firm, therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.

Mark 8:33
But turning and looking at his disciples, [Jesus] rebuked Peter and said, "Get behind me, Satan!  For you are setting your mind not on divine things but on human things."

Posted by Elmer E. Ewing

No comments:

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)