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 26, 2005

I. Readings
Psalms 28, 54, 99
2 Samuel 3:6-21
Acts 16:6-15
Mark 6:30-46

II. Selections
Ps. 28:1
To you, O LORD, I call;
my rock, do not refuse to hear me,
for if you are silent to me,
I shall be like those who go down to the Pit.

2 Sam. 3:12
Abner sent messengers to David at Hebron, saying, "To whom does the land belong? Make your covenant with me, and I will give you my support to bring all Israel over to you."

Acts 16:9-10
During the night Paul had a vision: there stood a man of Macedonia pleading with him and saying, "Come over to Macedonia and help us." When he had seen the vision, we immediately tried to cross over to Macedonia, being convinced that God had called us to proclaim the good news to them.

Mark 6:41
Taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven, and blessed and broke the loaves, and gave them to his disciples to set before the people; and he divided the two fish among them all.


III. Meditation: Abner's question
"To whom does the land belong?" asked Abner, who then used as a bargaining chip with David the land he controlled. But it belonged to you. The world and all that is in it belongs to you. What we have is only ours to share. Jesus divided the loaves and fishes and distributed them evenly to all the people. Paul felt your call to share the good news with everyone in Macedonia. Speak to us as you spoke to Paul. To you, O LORD, we call; our rock, do not refuse to hear us, for if you are silent to us, we shall be like those who go down to the Pit-like those who have not learned to share.

Posted by Elmer E. Ewing

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