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.

One Who Walked in His Integrity--Sept. 2, 2021

[From Sept. 1, 2011 archive]

 

There was One who walked before you in his integrity

and trusted you without wavering.

 

He was gentle, peaceable, full of mercy and good works,

without a trace of hypocrisy.

 

But though he had done no evil, he was not well received; 

on the contrary, he was crucified.

 

Like Solomon, the rest of us have turned away from you.

Make us walk with the One in his integrity.

 

Lectionary Readings

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

1 Kings 11:1-13

James 3:13-4:12

Mark 15:12-21

 

Selected Verses 

Ps. 26:1

Vindicate me, O LORD, 
          for I have walked in my integrity, 
          and I have trusted in the LORD without wavering.

 

1 Kings 11:9

Then the LORD was angry with Solomon, because his heart had turned away from the LORD, the God of Israel, who had appeared to him twice…

 

James 3:17

But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without a trace of partiality or hypocrisy.

 

Mark 15:12-14

Pilate spoke to [the crowd] again, “Then what do you wish me to do with the man you call the King of the Jews?”   They shouted back, “Crucify him!”   Pilate asked them, “Why, what evil has he done?”  But they shouted all the more, “Crucify him!”


Posted by Elmer E. Ewing

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