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.

What Matters Most--July 29, 2016

[From Aug. 4, 2006 archive]

Teach us what matters most, O God—
not armaments, but your name.

Teach us to sing our praise to you,
no matter how illustrious the competition.

Teach us to hear your voice speaking
midst the uproar of the crowd.

Then teach us with fear and joy
to run and do your bidding.

Lectionary Readings
Ps. 88; 148; 6; 20
Judg. 5:1-18
Acts 2:1-21
Matt. 28:1-10
           
Selected Verses
Ps. 20:7
Some take pride in chariots, and some in horses,
            but our pride is in the name of the LORD our God.

Judg. 5:3
“Hear, O kings; give ear, O princes;
            to the LORD I will sing,
            I will make melody to the LORD, the God of Israel.  …  ”

Acts 2:6
And at this sound the crowd gathered and was bewildered, because each one heard them speaking in the native language of each.

Matt. 28:8
So [Mary Magdalene and the other Mary] left the tomb quickly with fear and great joy, and ran to tell his disciples.
Posted by Elmer E. Ewing

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