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.

July 05, 2007

I. Readings
Psalms 81, 116, 143
1 Samuel 13:5-18
Acts 8:26-40
Luke 23:13-25

II. Selections
Psalm 116:10
I kept my faith, even when I said,
"I am greatly afflicted" ...

1 Samuel 13:6
When the Israelites saw that they were in distress (for the troops were hard pressed), the people hid themselves in caves and in holes and in rocks and in tombs and in cisterns.

Acts 8:39
When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord snatched Philip away; the eunuch saw him no more, and went on his way rejoicing.

Luke 23:25
[ Pilate] released the man they asked for, the one who had been put in prison for insurrection and murder, and he handed Jesus over as they wished.

III. Meditation: Even when greatly afflicted

When the Israelites saw they were in distress,
they hid themselves from the Philistines;
for Jesus no hole or rock, cistern or cave,
offered haven to escape his persecutors.

The Spirit snatched Philip away
after he had baptized the Ethiopian.
Jesus needed to be snatched away;
greatly afflicted, he kept his faith.

Posted by Elmer E. Ewing

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