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.

April 17, 2007

I. Readings
Psalms 66, 98, 116
Daniel 2:1-16
1 John 2:1-11
John 17:12-19

II. Selections
Psalm 116:11
I said in my consternation,
"Everyone is a liar."

Daniel 2:7
[ The magicians, enchanters, sorcerers, and Chaldeans] answered a second time, "Let the king first tell his servants the dream, then we can give its interpretation."

1 John 2:4
Whoever says, "I have come to know [ Jesus Christ]," but does not obey his commandments, is a liar, and in such a person the truth does not exist ...

John 17:17
" ...Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth. ... " [ Jesus praying for his disciples]

III. Meditation: Lies and truth

Nebuchadnezzar correctly assumed
his advisers were about to lie to him
to save their lives-and why not?
In times of stress, we often expect
others to lie, just as we would lie.

We lie when we claim to know Christ
and then fail to obey his commands,
which happens with great regularity.
Except your word, no truth is in us-
sanctify us in the truth, as Jesus prayed.

Posted by Elmer E. Ewing

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