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.

October 12, 2005

I. Readings
Psalms 4, 15, 48
Jeremiah 37:3-21
1 Corinthians 14:13-25
Matthew 10:24-33

II. Selections
Psalm 4:2
How long, you people, shall my honor suffer shame?
How long will you love vain words, and seek after lies?
Selah

Jeremiah 37:9
Thus says the LORD: Do not deceive yourselves, saying, "The Chaldeans will surely go away from us," for they will not go away.

1 Corinthians 14:20
Brothers and sisters, do not be children in your thinking; rather, be infants in evil, but in thinking be adults.

Matthew 10:26
"So have no fear of them; for nothing is covered up that will not be uncovered, and nothing secret that will not become known. ..."

III. Meditation: How long?
How long shall your honor suffer shame? How long will we love vain words, and seek after lies? How long will we deceive ourselves, saying, "The Chaldeans will surely go away from us," when they will not go away? How long will we be children in our thinking, rather than infants in evil, but in thinking, adults? Take from us our fear; and remind us that nothing is covered up that will not be uncovered, and nothing secret that will not become known. Grant us courage to honor you in true words and in honest lives.

Posted by Elmer E. Ewing

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