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.

God Decides--Sept. 15, 2021

[From Sept. 16, 2015 archive]

 

Who may abide in your tent, O God? 

And who may dwell on your holy hill? 

If left to us, we would choose the prophet 

who tells us only things that we want to hear. 

 

In the beginning great crowds followed Jesus, 

but he did not tell them always what they 

wanted to hear--and he was crucified. 

It is better that you decide who

may abide in your tent. 

 

Lectionary Readings

Ps. 15; 147:1-11; 48; 4 

1 Kings 22:1-28 

1 Cor. 2:1-13 

Matt. 4:18-25 

 

Selected Verses 

Ps. 15:1 

O LORD, who may abide in your tent? 
          Who may dwell on your holy hill? 

 

1 Kings 22:8a 

The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “There is still one other [prophet] by whom we may inquire of the LORD, Micaiah son of Imlah; but I hate him, for he never prophesies anything favorable about me, but only disaster.” 

 

1 Cor. 2:2 

For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ, and him crucified. 

 

Matt. 4:25 

And great crowds followed [Jesus] from Galilee, the Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judea, and from beyond the Jordan.


Posted by Elmer E. Ewing

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