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 11, 2007

I. Readings
Psalms 96, 132, 134
1 Samuel 16:1-13
Acts 10:1-16
Luke 24:13-35

II. Selections
Psalm 134:1
Come, bless the LORD, all you servants of the LORD,
who stand by night in the house of the LORD!

1 Samuel 16:11
Samuel said to Jesse, "Are all your sons here?" And he said, "There remains yet the youngest, but he is keeping the sheep." And Samuel said to Jesse, "Send and bring him; for we will not sit down until he comes here."

Acts 10:5-6
" ...Now send men to Joppa for a certain Simon who is called Peter; he is lodging with Simon, a tanner, whose house is by the seaside." [ The angel to Cornelius]

Luke 24:15-16
While [ two disciples] were talking and discussing, Jesus himself came near and went with them, but their eyes were kept from recognizing him.

III. Meditation: What we do not know

An angel called upon Cornelius to send for Simon Peter,
of whom Cornelius had not seen or heard.

Samuel called upon Jesse to send for his youngest son,
whose future Jesse could not begin to fathom.

Two who walked to Emmaus were joined by a stranger
whom they knew well but could not recognize.

Some there are who stand by night and bless your name,
and may not realize what they do also is important.

Posted by Elmer E. Ewing

No comments:

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)