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.

In Your Presence, Hope--July 8, 2021

[From July 7, 2005 archive]

 

If music relieves our fears and makes us feel better, 

how much more hope we find in your presence with us!  

For with you is steadfast love and great power to redeem. 

 

Open our hearts to all that you would have us hear 

from those whom you have sent to us, 

and bless us with the peace of our Risen Lord.

 

Lectionary Readings

Ps. 116; 147:12-20; 26; 130

1 Sam. 16:14-17:11

Acts 10:17-33

Luke 24:36-53

 

Selected Verses 

Ps. 130:7

O Israel, hope in the LORD!

            For with the LORD there is steadfast love,

            and with him is great power to redeem.

 

1 Sam. 16:23

And whenever the evil spirit from God came upon Saul, David took the lyre and played it with his hand, and Saul would be relieved and feel better, and the evil spirit would depart from him. 

 

Acts 10: 33

“…Therefore I [Cornelius] sent for you [Peter] immediately, and you have been kind enough to come. So now all of us are here in the presence of God to listen to all that the Lord has commanded you to say.”

 

Luke 24:36-37

While they were talking about this, Jesus himself stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.”  They were startled and terrified, and thought that they were seeing a ghost.


Posted by Elmer E. Ewing

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