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.

Forgiveness, Not Vengeance--Dec. 26, 2019



Before I leave the land of the living,
fill me with faith and your Holy Spirit,
that I may remember your kindness to me
and the many times you have forgiven me.

Then may I seek to forgive, not to avenge,
all who have wronged me in any way.

Lectionary Readings
Ps. 116; 147:12-20; 119:1-24; 27
2 Chron. 24:17-22
Acts 6:1-7
Acts 7:59-8:8

Selected Verses
Ps. 27:13
I believe that I shall see the goodness of the LORD
          in the land of the living.
2 Chron. 24:22
King Joash did not remember the kindness that Jehoiada, Zechariah’s father, had shown him, but killed his son.  As [Zechariah] was dying, he said, "May the Lord see and avenge!"

Acts 6:5
What [the twelve apostles] said pleased the whole community, and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit, together with Philip [and five others].

Acts 7:60
Then [Stephen] knelt down and cried out in a loud voice, “Lord, do not hold this sin against [the ones who were stoning him].”  When he had said this, he died.

Posted by Elmer E. Ewing

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