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.

December 26, 2006

I. Readings
Psalms 27, 116, 119:1-24
2 Chronicles 24:17-22
Acts 6:1-7
Acts 7:59-8:8

II. Selections
Psalm 119:19
I live as an alien in the land;
do not hide your commandments from me.

2 Chronicles 24:22
King Joash did not remember the kindness that Jehoiada, Zechariah's father, had shown him, but killed his son. As he was dying, he said, "May the LORD see and avenge!"

Acts 6:1-7
Now during those days, when the disciples were increasing in number, the Hellenists complained against the Hebrews because their widows were being neglected in the daily distribution of food.

Acts 7:8:3
But Saul was ravaging the church by entering house after house; dragging off both men and women, he committed them to prison.

III. Meditation: We live as aliens

You have not hidden your commandments-
they are plain enough to see-
but we ignore them.

We live as aliens from your kingdom-
forgetting the kindness shown to us,
complaining over the share we receive,
and, in so doing, ravishing the church.

Posted by Elmer E. Ewing

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