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 21, 2006

I. Readings
Psalms 97, 112, 135
Judges 17:1-13
Acts 7:44-8:1a
John 5:19-29

II. Selections
Psalm 97:1
The LORD is king! Let the earth rejoice;
let the many coastlands be glad!

Judges 17:13
Then Micah said, "Now I know that the LORD will prosper me, because the Levite has become my priest."

Acts 7:51" ...You stiff-necked people, uncircumcised in heart and ears, you are forever opposing the Holy Spirit, just as your ancestors used to do. ... " [ Stephen, to the crowd who then stoned him.]

John 5:19
Jesus said to [ the authorities], "Very truly, I tell you, the Son can do nothing on his own, but only what he sees the Father doing; for whatever the Father does, the Son does likewise.

III. Meditation: Let the many coastlands be glad.

You are sovereign, let all the world rejoice and be glad!
Your sovereignty is not to be manipulated by false piety,
or opposed by stiff-necked, uncircumcised hearts and ears,
but embraced and celebrated, as Jesus embraced and celebrated it.

Posted by Elmer E. Ewing

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