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.

July 21, 2005

I. Readings
Psalms 27, 36, 80
1 Samuel 28:3-20
Acts 15:1-11
Mark 5:1-20

II. Selections
Ps. 27:4
One thing I asked of the LORD,
that will I seek after:
to live in the house of the LORD
all the days of my life,
to behold the beauty of the LORD,
and to inquire in his temple.

1 Sam. 28:6
When Saul inquired of the LORD, the LORD did not answer him, not by dreams, or by Urim, or by prophets.

Acts 15:7
After there had been much debate, Peter stood up and said to them, "My brothers, you know that in the early days God made a choice among you, that I should be the one through whom the Gentiles would hear the message of the good news and become believers. ..."

Mark 5:15
[ The people] came to Jesus and saw the demoniac sitting there, clothed and in his right mind, the very man who had had the legion; and they were afraid.

III. Meditation: What shall happen when we approach you?
What shall happen when we approach you? Shall we behold your beauty and learn from your presence? Shall we seek answers, only to encounter your silence? Will you drive out the demons who torment us? Will we see what you have done for others and respond in fear? Will you lay your hand upon us, choosing us to bear your message to others?

Posted by Elmer E. Ewing

No comments:

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)