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.

August 05, 2006

I. Readings
Psalms 63, 100, 122
Judges 5:19-31
Acts 2:22-36
Matthew 28:11-20

II. Selections
Psalm 63:3
Because your steadfast love is better than life,
my lips will praise you.

Judges 5:28
"Out of the window she peered,
the mother of Sisera gazed through the lattice:
'Why is his chariot so long in coming?
Why tarry the hoofbeats of his chariots?' ... "

Acts 2:24
" ...But God raised [ Jesus] up, having freed him from death, because it was impossible for him to be held in its power. ... " [ Peter addressing the Israelites in the crowd]

Matthew 28:20b
" ...And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age." [ The risen Jesus to the eleven disciples]

III. Meditation: The power of death

Better than life itself is your steadfast love,
with us to the end of the age.
Death could not hold you in its power.

But who will explain this to the mother
gazing out the window
for the return of her soldier son?

Posted by Elmer E. Ewing

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