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 25, 2005

I. Readings
Psalms 25, 40, 84
Isaiah 24:14-23
1 Peter 3:13-4:6
Matthew 20:17-28

II. Selections
Psalm 84:5
Happy are those whose strength is in you,
in whose heart are the highways to Zion.

Isaiah 24:16
From the ends of the earth we hear songs of praise, of glory to the Righteous One. But I say, I pine away, I pine away. Woe is me! For the treacherous deal treacherously, the treacherous deal very treacherously.

1 Peter 3:14-15a
But even if you do suffer for doing what is right, you are blessed. Do not fear what they fear, and do not be intimidated, but in your hearts sanctify Christ as Lord.

Matthew 20:22a
But Jesus answered, "You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I am about to drink?"

III. Meditation: The highway to Zion
Happy are those whose strength is in you, in whose heart are the highways to Zion. From the ends of the earth we hear songs of praise to your glory. But we respond, "I pine away, I pine away. Woe is me!" We ask to be blessed and happy; but we are like James and John-we do not know what we are asking. We keep forgetting-blessing comes when we suffer for doing what is right, when we share the cup that Christ drank. Take away our fear and intimidation, as in our hearts we sanctify Christ as Lord. That is the highway to Zion; that is the way to find our strength in you; that is the way to happiness.

Posted by Elmer E. Ewing

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