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.

August 05, 2005

I. Readings
Psalms 25, 40, 84
2 Samuel 12:1-14
Acts 19:21-41
Mark 9:14-29

II. Selections
Ps. 84:1
How lovely is your dwelling place,
O LORD of hosts!

2 Sam. 12:1b-3a
[ Nathan] came to [ David], and said to him, "There were two men in a certain city, one rich and the other poor. The rich man had very many flocks and herds; but the poor man had nothing but one little ewe lamb, which he had bought.

Acts 19:21a
Now after these things had been accomplished, Paul resolved in the Spirit to go through Macedonia and Achaia, and then to go on to Jerusalem.

Mark 9:16
He asked them, "What are you arguing about with them?"

III. Meditation: What are we arguing about?
We have very many flocks and herds, while the poor are fortunate to have one little ewe lamb. What is there for us to argue about? We know that your dwelling place is lovely. Help us resolve in the Spirit to make room in our hearts, that you may dwell there, too. Then we will not want to argue, but to share.

Posted by Elmer E. Ewing

No comments:

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)