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.

No Stumbling Blocks for Little Ones--Aug . 12, 2019



Gracious God, give strength to your people,
and bless your people with peace.
We may weep over the loss of those we love,
or over our separation from them,
but forfend that weeping should ever result
from stumbling blocks we have
placed in the path of any of your little ones.

Lectionary Readings
Ps. 5; 145; 82; 29
2 Sam. 13:23-39
Acts 20:17-38
Mark 9:42-50

Selected Verses
Ps. 29:11
 May the LORD give strength to his people!
          May the LORD bless his people with peace!
  •  
2 Sam. 13:36
As soon as [Jonadab] had finished speaking, the king’s sons arrived, and raised their voices and wept; and the king and all his servants also wept very bitterly.

Acts 20:37-38
There was much weeping among [all the elders of the church of Ephesus]; they embraced Paul and kissed him, grieving especially because of what he had said, that they would not see him again.  Then they brought him to the ship.
Mark 9:42
“If any of you put a stumbling block before one of these little ones who believe in me, it would be better for you if a great millstone were hung around your neck and you were thrown into the sea.  …”  [Jesus, to his disciples]

Posted by Elmer E. Ewing

No comments:

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)