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.

May 16, 2007

I. Readings
Psalms 9, 99, 118, 147:1-11
Deuteronomy 19:1-7
James 5:13-18
Luke 12:22-31

II. Selections
Psalm 147:1
Praise the LORD!
How good it is to sing praises to our God;
for he is gracious, and a song of praise is fitting.

Deuteronomy 19:3
You shall calculate the distances and divide into three regions the land that the LORD your God gives you as a possession, so that any homicide can flee to one of them.

James 5:16
Therefore confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another, so that you may be healed. The prayer of the righteous is powerful and effective.

Luke 12:30
For it is the nations of the world that strive after all these things, and your Father knows that you need them.

III. Meditation: Our needs

You cared for the homicide
who required safe haven,
and you will care for us.

You know our needs:
food, shelter, healing.

And spiritual needs:
to confess our sins;
to pray for others;
to give you thanks;
to sing your praise.

Posted by Elmer E. Ewing

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