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.

September 28, 2007

I. Readings
Psalms 6, 20, 88
2 Kings 9:17-37
1 Corinthians 7:1-9
Matthew 6:7-15

II. Selections
Psalm 20:4
May he grant you your heart's desire
and fulfill all your plans.

2 Kings 9:17
In Jezreel, the sentinel standing on the tower spied the company of Jehu arriving, and said, "I see a company." Joram said, "Take a horseman; send him to meet them, and let him say, 'Is it peace?'"

1 Corinthians 7:7b
But each has a particular gift from God, one having one kind and another a different kind.

Matthew 6:8
" ...Do not be like [ the Gentiles], for your Father knows what you need before you ask him. ... " [ Jesus, sitting on the mountain]

III. Meditation: The gift we need

You know what we need before we ask you-
what we need, not our whole heart's desire.
You have given us each a particular gift,
but the gift of peace, everyone needs.

Posted by Elmer E. Ewing

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