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 22, 2007

I. Readings
Psalms 51, 65, 142
1 Samuel 3:1-21
Acts 2:37-47
Luke 21:5-19

II. Selections
Psalm 142:6
Give heed to my cry,
for I am brought very low.
Save me from my persecutors,
for they are too strong for me.

1 Samuel 3:13
" ...For I have told [ Eli] that I am about to punish his house forever, for the iniquity that he knew, because his sons were blaspheming God, and he did not restrain them. ... " [ The LORD to the boy Samuel]

Acts 2:40
And [ Peter] testified with many other arguments and exhorted them, saying, "Save yourselves from this corrupt generation."

Luke 21:18-19
" ...But not a hair of your head will perish. By your endurance you will gain your souls. ... "

III. Meditation: By our endurance

When our opponents are too strong for us,
when we are brought very low-
give heed to our cry.

Save us from corruption, the iniquity we know
but do nothing to restrain;
heed our cry for help.

Grant us endurance, that we may gain our souls,
lest we and our house perish-
give heed to our cry.

Posted by Elmer E. Ewing

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