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 18, 2006

I. Readings
Psalms 4, 15, 48
Hosea 13:1-3
Acts 27:9-26
Luke 9:1-17

II. Selections
Psalm 4:6
There are many who say, "O that we might see some good!
Let the light of your face shine on us, O LORD!"

Hosea 13:3
Therefore [ the people of Israel] shall be like the morning mist
or like the dew that goes away early,
like chaff that swirls from the threshing floor
or like smoke from a window.

Acts 27:25-26
" ...So keep up your courage, men, for I have faith in God that it will be exactly as I have been told. But we will have to run aground on some island." [ Paul to those aboard the ship]

Luke 9:3
[ Jesus] said to [ the twelve disciples], "Take nothing for your journey, no staff, nor bag, nor bread, nor money-not even an extra tunic. ... "

III. Meditation: Living with fear or with courage

Many of us live in fear, afraid that we will vanish away
like the morning mist or dew that goes away early,
like chaff that swirls from the threshing floor,
like smoke that disappears out a window.

Paul would urge us to keep up our courage
and our faith in you, even if we run aground.
Paul followed Jesus' admonition to travel light.
Let the light of your face shine on us on our way.

Posted by Elmer E. Ewing

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