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.

September 23, 2005

I. Readings
Psalms 6, 20, 88
2 Kings 9:17-37
1 Corinthians 7:1-9
Matthew 6:7-15

II. Selections
Ps. 88:1-3
O LORD, God of my salvation,
when, at night, I cry out in your presence,
let my prayer come before you;
incline your ear to my cry.
For my soul is full of troubles,
and my life draws near to Sheol.

2 Kings 9:18a
So the horseman went to meet him; he said, "Thus says the king, 'Is it peace?'" Jehu responded, "What have you to do with peace? Fall in behind me."

1 Cor. 7:6-7
This I say by way of concession, not of command. I wish that all were as I myself am. But each has a particular gift from God, one having one kind and another a different kind.

Matt. 6:7-8
"When you are praying, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do; for they think that they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.

III. Meditation: Shall we fall in behind Jehu?
O God of our salvation, teach us to pray from head and heart. You know what we need before we ask you-there is no need for empty phrases; but still we ask. When, at night, our souls are full of troubles and we cry out in your presence, incline your ear to our cry. In a world of vitriol and violence those who look for peace are met with scorn and contempt. Granting that each has a particular gift from you, one having one kind and another a different kind, can one of your gifts be the desire for vengeance? Shall our acceptance of our brothers and sisters in Christ extend to those like Jehu-those who believe they must mete out vicious retribution in your name?

Posted by Elmer E. Ewing

No comments:

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)