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 Rejoice Without Boasting--Feb. 21, 2021

 

You do not delight in our boasting, God,

nor does boasting bring real pleasure to us.

 

Our true happiness comes from trusting in you, 

God of steadfast love, justice, and righteousness. 

 

You gave us Christ, who became for us wisdom, 

righteousness, sanctification, and redemption.

 

Fill our old wineskins with that good wine—

it will bring rejoicing, but not boasting.

 

Lectionary Readings

Ps. 84; 150; 42; 32

Jer. 9:23-24

1 Cor. 1:18-31

Mark 2:18-22

 

Selected Verses 

Ps. 84:12

O LORD of hosts,
          happy is everyone who trusts in you.

 

Jer. 9:24

…but let those who boast boast in this, that they understand and know me, that I am the LORD; I act with steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth, for in these things I delight, says the LORD.

 

1 Cor. 1:30

[God] is the source of your life in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification and redemption…

 

Mark 2:22

“…And no one puts new wine into old wineskins; otherwise, the wine will burst the skins, and the wine is lost, and so are the skins; but one puts new wine into fresh wineskins.”  [Jesus, to his critics]


Posted by Elmer E. Ewing

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