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 27, 2007

I. Readings
Psalms 4, 15, 48
1 Samuel 7:2-17
Acts 6:1-15
Luke 22:14-23

II. Selections
Psalm 15:3
...who do not slander with their tongue,
and do no evil to their friends,
nor take up a reproach against their neighbors ...

1 Samuel 7:3
Then Samuel said to all the house of Israel, "If you are returning to the LORD with all your heart, then put away the foreign gods and the Astartes from among you. Direct your heart to the LORD, and serve him only, and he will deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines."

Acts 6:2
And the twelve called together the whole community of the disciples and said, "It is not right that we should neglect the word of God in order to wait on tables. ... "

Luke 22:17
Then [ Jesus] took a cup, and after giving thanks he said, "Take this and divide it among yourselves ... "

III. Meditation: With all our heart

We are to divide what we have, to share it with others;
but you require our hearts to be focused, not divided.

The disciples believed they should not be diverted
from your word, even to wait on tables for the needy.

Samuel called Israel to return to you with all their heart,
to direct their heart to you alone, and to serve only you.

But serving you entails right actions toward our neighbor-
no slander with our tongue, no evil-doing, no reproach.

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