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.

To Approach the Throne of Grace--Jan. 20, 2020



Lord Jesus, the wind blows where it chooses,
and I know neither where it comes from
nor where it goes, just as I cannot
fathom how the Spirit works.

Still, when the dove did not return to Jonah,
that was a sign of good news, not bad.
Sometimes we must act based
on limited knowledge.

What I do know is you have shown me
God is good to all, and God’s
compassion is over all
God has made.

Therefore make me bold to approach
your throne of grace, so that
I may receive mercy and
find your grace.

Lectionary Readings
Ps. 135; 145; 97; 112
Gen. 8:6-22
Heb. 4:14-5:6
John 2:23-3:15

Selected Verses
Ps. 145:9
The Lord is good to all,
          and his compassion is over all that he has made.

Gen. 8:12
Then [Noah] waited another seven days, and sent out the dove; and it did not return to him any more.

Heb. 4:16
Let us therefore approach the throne of grace with boldness, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

John 3:8
“…The wind blows where it chooses, and you hear the sound of it, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes.  So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit."  [Jesus, to Nicodemus]

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