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.

Three Things I Believe--Jan. 24, 2022

[From Jan. 27, 2020 archive]

 

These three things I believe, Lord Jesus:

 

persons are more important than goods, 

 

and knowing you in our hearts 

more important than believing 

in you in our heads,

 

and you are near to all 

who call on you in truth.

 

Now help me start on my way.

 

Lectionary Readings

Ps. 57; 145; 85, 47

Gen. 14:1-24

Heb. 8:1-13

John 4:43-54

 

Selected Verses 

Ps. 145:18

The LORD is near to all who call on him,
          to all who call on him in truth.

 

Gen. 14:21

Then the king of Sodom said to Abram, “Give me the persons, but take the goods for yourself.” 

 

Heb. 8:11

And they shall not teach one another

          or say to each other, ‘Know the Lord,’

for they shall all know me,

          from the least of them to the greatest.

 

John 4:50b

The [royal official] believed the word that Jesus spoke to him and started on his way. 


Posted by Elmer E. Ewing

No comments:

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)