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 26, 2005

I. Readings
Psalms 96, 132, 134
Lamentations 2:8-15
Revelation 5:1-10
Matthew 13:10-17

II. Selections
Psalm 132:3-5
"I will not enter my house
or get into my bed;
I will not give sleep to my eyes
or slumber to my eyelids,
until I find a place for the LORD,
a dwelling-place for the Mighty One of Jacob." [ David's vow]

Lamentations 2:14
Your prophets have seen for you
false and deceptive visions;
they have not exposed your iniquity
to restore your fortunes,
but have seen oracles for you
that are false and misleading.

Revelation 5:5
Then one of the elders said to me, "Do not weep. See, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has conquered, so that he can open the scroll and its seven seals."

Matthew 13:12
For to those who have, more will be given, and they will have an abundance; but from those who have nothing, even what they have will be taken away.

III. Meditation: A place for you
Whatever may be our material wealth, in spiritual terms we are paupers. Worse yet, even what we have is threatened. Where can we find a dwelling place for you? Where are the prophets who will show us visions of truth, prophets who will expose our iniquity? In our lament, you remind us-there is no need to weep. The Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has conquered. He will open the truth for us. In him we find the place you dwell.

Posted by Elmer E. Ewing

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