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 31, 2005

I. Readings
Psalms 96, 132, 134
1 Kings 9:24-10:13
James 3:1-12
Mark 15:1-11

II. Selections
Ps. 96:5
For all the gods of the peoples are idols,
but the LORD made the heavens.

1 Kings 10:13
Meanwhile King Solomon gave to the queen of Sheba every desire that she expressed, as well as what he gave her out of Solomon's royal bounty. Then she returned to her own land, with her servants.

James 3:5b-6
How great a forest is set ablaze by a small fire! And the tongue is a fire. The tongue is placed among our members as a world of iniquity; it stains the whole body, sets on fire the cycle of nature, and is itself set on fire by hell.

Mark 15:3-5
Then the chief priests accused him of many things. Pilate asked him again, "Have you no answer? See how many charges they bring against you." But Jesus made no further reply, so that Pilate was amazed.

III. Meditation: A gift surpassing Solomon's
For all the gods of the peoples are idols, but you made the heavens. Whatever riches we may think we possess-what are they compared to the riches you bestow? King Solomon gave to the queen of Sheba every desire that she expressed, and she returned to her own land, with her servants. But was the queen happy? Could Solomon confer the gift of contentment? Grant us the gift to control our tongue, as Jesus controlled his before Pilate.

Posted by Elmer E. Ewing

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