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.

June 10, 2007

I. Readings
Psalms 23, 66, 108
Deuteronomy 29:16-29
Revelation 12:1-12
Matthew 15:29-39

II. Selections
Psalm 108:1
My heart is steadfast, O God, my heart is steadfast;
I will sing and make melody.
Awake, my soul.

Deuteronomy 29: 29
The secret things belong to the LORD our God, but the revealed things belong to us and to our children forever, to observe all the words of this law.

Revelation 12:11
But they have conquered [ the accuser] by the blood of the Lamb
and by the word of their testimony,
for they did not cling to life even in the face of death.

Matthew 15:31
...so that the crowd was amazed when they saw the mute speaking, the maimed whole, the lame walking, and the blind seeing. And they praised the God of Israel.

III. Meditation: With steadfast heart

The secret things belong to you, but give us a steadfast heart.
Give us a steadfast heart, O God, give us a steadfast heart,
that we may be amazed to see the wonders of your love,
that we may claim the things you have revealed to us,
that our soul may awake to sing and make melody,
that even in the face of death we offer our lives.

Posted by Elmer E. Ewing

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