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 Call on God in Truth--Nov. 30, 2020

 

Gracious God, living and true, 

you are near to all who call on you,

to all who call on you in truth.

 

By what authority do we call on you in truth?

By the authority of Jesus, who taught us

to learn to do good, seek justice,

 

rescue the oppressed, 

defend the orphan, 

and plead for the widow.

 

Lectionary Readings

Ps. 122; 145; 40; 67

Isa. 1:10-20

1Thess. 1:1-10

Luke 20:1-8

 

Selected Verses 

Ps. 145:18

The Lord is near to all who call on him,
          to all who call on him in truth.

 

Isa. 1:16-17

Wash yourselves; make yourselves clean;
     remove the evil of your doings
     from before my eyes;
cease to do evil,
     learn to do good;
seek justice,
     rescue the oppressed,
defend the orphan,
     plead for the widow.

 

1Thess. 1:9

For the people of those regions report about us what kind of welcome we had among you, and how you turned to God from idols, to serve a living and true God…

 

Luke 20:1-2

One day, as [Jesus] was teaching the people in the temple and telling the good news, the chief priests and the scribes came with the elders and said to him, “Tell us, by what authority are you doing these things?  Who is it who gave you this authority?”


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