Surely I Am Coming Soon

This meditation is based on a passage for December 23, 2010 in the Daily Lectionary Year 1 from the Book of Common Worship for the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) (1993). Text: Revelation 22:6-11, 18-20 /p> Reflection and Question: The first hearers of John’s Revelation were physically endangered by Roman persecutors who had much more power in […]

Did You Receive the Spirit by Believing?

This meditation is based on a passage for December 22, 2010 in the Daily Lectionary Year 1 from the Book of Common Worship for the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) (1993). Text: Galatians 3:1-14 Reflection and Question: Paul’s whole question to the Galatians is this: “Did you receive the Spirit by doing works of the law or […]

He Has Scattered the Proud in the Imagination of their Hearts

This meditation is based on a passage for December 21, 2010 in the Daily Lectionary Year 1 from the Book of Common Worship for the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) (1993). Text: Luke 1:39-56 Reflection and Question: Mary rushes off to her cousin Elizabeth who has her own astonishment at being pregnant in her old age. Then, […]

Let It Be To Me According to Your Word

This meditation is based on a passage for December 20, 2010 in the Daily Lectionary Year 1 from the Book of Common Worship for the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) (1993). Text: Luke 1:26-38 Reflection and Question: Mary is just about the last person on earth we would expect to receive the mission to give birth to […]

May God Continue to Bless Us

This meditation is based on a passage for December 19, 2010 in the Daily Lectionary Year 1 from the Book of Common Worship for the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) (1993). Text: Psalm 67 Reflection and Question: The most striking word in this happy psalm is the little pronoun, “us.” The prevalent emphasis in the church on […]

Build Yourselves Up On Your Most Holy Faith

This meditation is based on a passage for December 18, 2010 in the Daily Lectionary Year 1 from the Book of Common Worship for the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) (1993). Text: Jude 17-25 Reflection and Question: Jude is a letter of encouragement to early Christians. Its authoritative power shines forth in this concluding section of teaching […]

People Are Slaves to Whatever Has Mastered Them

This meditation is based on a passage for December 17, 2010 in the Daily Lectionary Year 1 from the Book of Common Worship for the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) (1993). Text: 2 Peter 2:17-22 Reflection and Question: All the Christians I know would agree with the main teaching here about how to spot a false prophet: […]

Who Warned You to Flee from the Wrath to Come?

This meditation is based on a passage for December 16, 2010 in the Daily Lectionary Year 1 from the Book of Common Worship for the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) (1993). Text: Matthew 3:1-12 Reflection and Question: The personality of John the Baptist shines through this description of how he emerged on the scene as a reformer […]

To See If There Are Any Who Are Wise

This meditation is based on a passage for December 15, 2010 in the Daily Lectionary Year 1 from the Book of Common Worship for the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) (1993). Text: Psalm 53 Reflection and Question: This psalm reminds us that one’s own time and place in the world is not the first time and place […]

For a Child Has Been Born Unto Us

This meditation is based on a passage for December 14, 2010 in the Daily Lectionary Year 1 from the Book of Common Worship for the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) (1993). Text: Isaiah 9:2-7 Reflection and Question: This is one of the most beloved Old Testament passages remembered at Christmas, perhaps because of Handel’s setting of the […]