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.

October 09, 2006

I. Readings
Psalms 5, 29, 82
Hosea 6:7-7:7
Acts 22:30-23:11
Luke 6:39-49

II. Selections
Psalm 82:5
They have neither knowledge nor understanding,
they walk around in darkness;
all the foundations of the earth are shaken.

Hosea 7:6
For they are kindled like an oven, their heart burns within them;
all night their anger smolders;
in the morning it blazes like a flaming fire.

Acts 23:11
That night the Lord stood near [ Paul] and said, "Keep up your courage! For just as you have testified for me in Jerusalem, so you must bear witness also in Rome."

Luke 6:45
" ...The good person out of the good treasure of the heart produces good, and the evil person out of evil treasure produces evil; for it is out of the abundance of the heart that the mouth speaks. ... " [ Jesus to his disciples]

III. Meditation: Evil treasure, good treasure

Lacking knowledge and understanding,
we walk around in darkness;
all the foundations of our earth are shaken.

We are kindled like an oven, our hearts burn within us;
all night our anger smolders,
then in the morning blazes like a flaming fire.

Evil treasure in our hearts has produced this fire;
Replace it with good treasure, that we may produce good,
and that our mouths may speak what is good.

It was from good treasure in his heart
that Paul was able to testify for you in Jerusalem
and bear witness to you also in Rome.

Posted by Elmer E. Ewing

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