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.

As Long as We Live--June 1, 2021

[From June 2, 2015 archive]

 

A prayer for what we aspire to, 

even though we won’t attain it.

 

As long as we live we will praise you, O God; 

all our lives long we will sing praises to you. 

We shall eat in your presence and rejoice 

in the undertakings in which you have 

blessed us.  With hearts open wide, 

we shall never forget to return 

and give you our praise. 

 

Lectionary Readings

Ps. 54; 146; 28; 99 

Deut. 12:1-12 

2 Cor. 6:3-7:1 

Luke 17:11-19 

 

Selected Verses 

Ps. 146:2 

 I will praise the LORD as long as I live; 
          I will sing praises to my God all my life long. 

 

Deut. 12:7 

And you shall eat there in the presence of the LORD your God, you and your households together, rejoicing in all the undertakings in which the LORD your God has blessed you. 

 

2 Cor. 6:13 

In return--I speak as to children--open wide your hearts also. 

 

Luke 17:17-18 

Then Jesus asked, "Were not ten made clean?  But the other nine, where are they?  Was none of them found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?" 


Posted by Elmer E. Ewing

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