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.

Not to Us, but to God--May 4, 2015


Not to us, dear God, not to us,
but to your name be the glory.
Remind us, you have forgiven
our sins, which are many.

We have every reason
to show you great love,
devoting ourselves to prayer,
keeping alert in it with thanksgiving,
and relying upon your promises of hope.

Lectionary Readings
Ps. 97; 145; 124; 115
Jer. 32:1-15
Col. 3:18-4:18
Luke 7:36-50

Selected Verses
Ps. 115:1
Not to us, O LORD, not to us, but to your name give glory,
          for the sake of your steadfast love and your faithfulness. 

Jer. 32:15
For thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: Houses and fields and vineyards shall again be bought in this land.

Col. 4:2
Devote yourselves to prayer, keeping alert in it with thanksgiving. 

Luke 7:47
"…Therefore, I tell you, [the woman's] sins, which were many, have been forgiven; hence she has shown great love.  But the one to whom little is forgiven, loves little.” [Jesus to Simon the Pharisee]
Posted by Elmer E. Ewing

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