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 09, 2006

I. Readings
Psalms 96, 132, 134
Judges 7:19-8:12
Acts 3:12-26
John 1:29-42

II. Selections
Psalm 96:2
Sing to the LORD, bless his name;
tell of his salvation from day to day.

Judges 8:1
Then the Ephraimites said to [ Gideon], "What have you done to us, not to call us when you went to fight against the Midianites?" And they upbraided him violently.

Acts 3:19-20
" ...Repent therefore, and turn to God so that your sins may be wiped out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and that he may send the Messiah appointed for you, that is, Jesus ..." [ Peter, to the crowd]

John 1:32
And John testified, "I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it remained on him. ... "

III. Meditation: From day to day

From day to day, every day, we shall sing to you,
bless your name, and tell of your salvation.

Every day, we shall repent and turn to you,
that our sins may be wiped out,
that we may be refreshed by your presence.

Every day, even when we are upbraided violently
for offenses real or imagined,

we shall find comfort and purpose in you,
upon whom the Spirit descended like a dove,
and upon whom it remains.

Posted by Elmer E. Ewing

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