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 20, 2007

I. Readings
Psalms 93, 117, 136, 150
Ezekiel 3:16-27
Ephesians 2:1-10
Matthew 10:24-33, 40-42

II. Selections
Psalm 150:4
Praise [ the LORD] with tambourine and dance;
praise him with strings and pipe!

Ezekiel 3:27
But when I speak with you, I will open your mouth, and you shall say to them, "Thus says the Lord GOD"; let those who will hear, hear; and let those who refuse to hear, refuse; for they are a rebellious house.

Ephesians 2:10
For we are what he has made us, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand to be our way of life.

Matthew 10:24-25a
" ...A disciple is not above the teacher, nor a slave above the master; it is enough for the disciple to be like the teacher, and the slave like the master. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebul, how much more will they malign those of the household! ... "

III. Meditation: Created for good works

You created us in Christ for good works-that was your intention.
For this we praise you with tambourine and dance, strings and pipe.

But if we are like you we should suffer as you suffered;
and we suffer very little because we are so little like you.

Jesus spoke your word, and those who would hear, heard;
those who refused to hear, refused-a rebellious people.

Posted by Elmer E. Ewing

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