Weekly Lectionary Texts
Song of Solomon 2:8-13
Psalm 45:1-2, 6-9
James 1:17-27
Mark 7:1-8, 14-15, 21-23
Monday, August 24. Find a hillside and read Psalm 15 aloud. What does it mean to stand on God’s holy hill? What can you see? What does God have to say to you as you stand there? What does it require of you?
Tuesday, August 25. Read the quote by George Bernard Shaw on the Perspectives page (page 4). What desires are you imagining today? What action can you take to bring them to fruition today?
Wednesday, August 26. The charge of James 1:17-27 is that we become “doers” of the Word. What does that mean for your choices today? Decide a specific way in which you can “do” the Word today.
Thursday, August 27. Doing the Word does not necessarily mean doing great things. It can involve small acts of kindness that fill up God’s kingdom. Read “The Godly Stitch” (page 41) and think about what you can do with your hands to meet the simple needs of one person; think about how you can organize the work of many hands to meet then simple needs of many people.
Friday, August 28. Read Jesus’ words in Mark 7. What is inside you that keeps you from being clean and from following Christ? How are you like the Pharisees of Jesus’ time? Imagine casting out that which “defiles” you. What would you say? What would you do?
Saturday, August 29. Read “Jesus, Lover of our Souls” (page 48). Today imagine what is inside you that binds you to Christ. Give thanks for those things.
Sunday, August 30. Twenty-First Sunday in Ordinary Time. Imagine yourself in a holy place and in the presence of God. As you read the words of the Song of Solomon, imagine that God is saying those words directly to you. Don’t do anything; just let the words of love belong to you.
Prayer
God of the Holy Hill, fill me with your possibilities and send me today to take the first step. Amen.
Nancy Ferguson is a Presbyterian minister and certified church educator. Her ministry experiences range from seminary instructor to pastor to curriculum developer to camp director to outdoor ministries consultant. She is the author of six books and a frequent workshop leader. Nancy is an articulate advocate for experiential faith formation and experiences beyond the walls of the church. She lives in Accomac County, Virginia near Chincoteague Island where she focuses her attention on creation of educational and spiritual resources for congregational members, church leaders, and camps.
You can visit her website at www.BlueTreeResources.org
I would have to agree with Rosie Freese; I do miss having the Reflections in the magazine. I have used them along with our Disciplines study for over 30 years! It is much handier for me than to get online and get them that way. I often forget to get them printed out until we are almost done with the week!
I agree. I need them today and the website link doesn’t work for this week’s and next week’s reflections. So, I cannot do them this morning.