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.

May Our Joy Be Complete--Jan. 1, 2021


Holy One, God Almighty,

we praise your great and awesome name.

 

You have called us to walk before you, blameless;

blameless we are not, but you gave us Jesus;

we ask in his name to live our lives in him.

 

Build us up in the faith, 

abounding in thanksgiving— 

in Christ may our joy be complete.

 

Lectionary Readings

Ps. 98; 148; 99; 8

Gen. 17:1-12a, 15-16

Col. 2:6-12

John 16:23b-30

 

Selected Verses 

Ps. 99:3

Let [the peoples] praise your great and awesome name.
          Holy is he!

 

Gen. 17:1

When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the LORD appeared to Abram, and said to him, “I am God Almighty; walk before me, and be blameless.  …”

 

Col. 2:6-7

As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, continue to live your lives in him, rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.

 

John 16:24

“…Until now you have not asked for anything in my name.  Ask and you will receive, so that your joy may be complete.”  [Jesus, to his disciples]


Posted by Elmer E. Ewing

No comments:

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)