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.

Your Love Will Prevail--Sept. 15, 2020

 

If prosperity leads us to think ourselves

a strong mountain,

eventually we will be dismayed.

 

Though tough as the mythical Leviathan

in resisting you,

O God, your love will prevail.

 

If we listen to Jesus, you open our hearts

to eagerly join

the throngs gone after him.

 

Lectionary Readings

Ps. 123; 146; 30; 86

Job 40:1, 41:1-11

Acts 16:6-15

John 12:9-19

 

Selected Verses

Ps. 30:6-7

As for me, I said in my prosperity,
          “I shall never be moved.”
By your favor, O LORD,
          you had established me as a strong mountain;
you hid your face;
          I was dismayed.

 

Job 41:10-11

“…No one is so fierce as to dare to stir it up.  Who can stand before it?  Who can confront it and be safe? –under the whole heaven, who?  …”  [The LORD, to Job]

 

Acts 16:14

A certain woman named Lydia, a worshiper of God, was listening to us; she was from the city of Thyatira and a dealer in purple cloth.  The Lord opened her heart to listen eagerly to what was said by Paul.

 

John 12:19

The Pharisees then said to one another, “You see, you can do nothing.  Look, the world has gone after [Jesus]!”


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