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.

July 03, 2006

I. Readings
Psalms 47, 57, 85
Numbers 22:1-21
Romans 6:12-23
Matthew 21:12-22

II. Selections
Psalm 47:1
Clap your hands, all you peoples;
shout to God with loud songs of joy.

Numbers 22:20
That night God came to Balaam and said to him, "If the men have come to summon you, get up and go with them; but do only what I tell you to do."

Romans 6:12
Therefore, do not let sin exercise dominion in your mortal bodies, to make you obey their passions.

Matthew 21:22
" ...Whatever you ask for in prayer with faith, you will receive."

III. Meditation: What to obey

We clap our hands before you,
shout loud songs of joy;
for we rejoice in you,
and you
are with us always.

When people come to summon us,
if we must get up and go with them,
then as we go,
tell us what to do;
strengthen us only you to obey.

You have promised that we will receive
whatever with faith we ask for in prayer-
do not let sin wield dominion
in our mortal bodies,
to make us obey their passions.

Posted by Elmer E. Ewing

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