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.

A Vision of the Kingdom--Dec. 21, 2020


 God Most High, you have given us a vision of your kingdom.

There will be peace, perfect peace, and security for all.

It will be a place of beauty, reflecting your glory, 

free from tyranny, and free from scoffing,

with your Son Jesus on the throne. 

 

Of your kingdom there will be no end.

Lord, may your kingdom come,

and may our world grow

to be more like it.

 

Lectionary Readings

Ps. 122; 145; 40; 67

Isa. 29:9-24

Rev. 21:9-21

Luke 1:26-38

 

Selected Verses 

Ps. 122:6-7

Pray for the peace of Jerusalem:
          “May they prosper who love you.
Peace be within your walls,
          and security within your towers.”

 

Isa. 29:20

For the tyrant shall be no more,
          and the scoffer shall cease to be;
          all those alert to do evil shall be cut off—

 

Rev. 21:10-11

And in the spirit [the angel] carried me away to a great, high mountain and showed me the holy city Jerusalem coming down out of heaven from God.  It has the glory of God and a radiance like a very rare jewel, like jasper, clear as crystal.

 

Luke 1:32-33

“…[Your son, Jesus] will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give to him the throne of his ancestor David.  He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.  …”  [The angel Gabriel, to Mary] 


Posted by Elmer E. Ewing

No comments:

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)