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.

November 15, 2005

I. Readings
Psalms 28, 54, 99
Ezra 9:1-15
Revelation 21:1-8
Matthew 17:14-21

II. Selections
Psalms 28:3
Do not drag me away with the wicked,
with those who are workers of evil,
who speak peace with their neighbors,
while mischief is in their hearts.

Ezra 9:10
" ...And now, our God, what shall we say after this? For we have forsaken your commandments ..." [ Ezra]

Revelation 21:1
Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more.

Matthew 17:17
Jesus answered, "You faithless and perverse generation, how much longer must I be with you? How much longer must I put up with you? Bring him here to me."

III. Meditation: What shall we say?
We have forsaken your commandments-what shall we say? We are a faithless and perverse generation, how much longer will you be with us? Do not drag us away with the wicked, with those who are workers of evil, who speak peace with their neighbors, while mischief is in their hearts. Make us faithful, as we wait for, as we hope in, the day when you will make all things new; the day when you will create a new heaven and a new earth, a day when the first heaven and the first earth will have passed away, and the sea will be no more.

Posted by Elmer E. Ewing

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