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.

November 30, 2007

I. Readings
Psalms 25, 40, 84
Isaiah 24:14-23
1 Peter 3:13-4:6
Matthew 20:17-28

II. Selections
Psalm 84:5
Happy are those whose strength is in you,
in whose heart are the highways to Zion.

Isaiah 24:16
From the ends of the earth we hear songs of praise,
of glory to the Righteous One.
But I say, I pine away,
I pine away, woe is me.
For the treacherous deal treacherously,
the treacherous deal very treacherously.

1 Peter 3:13-15
...but in your hearts, sanctify Christ as Lord. Always be ready to make your defense to anyone who demands from you an accounting for the hope that is in you ...

Matthew 20:28
" ...just as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life a ransom for many." [ Jesus to his disciples]

III. Meditation: Shall we pine away?

Shall we be happy, or shall we pine away?
Shall we be persuaded by songs of praise,
or downcast by the treachery around us?

If our strength is in you, we will be happy.
The hope within us depends upon what
is in our hearts. If our hearts are centered
on the path to your presence, if in our hearts
we sanctify as Lord the one who came
not to serve but to be served, the one who
gave us his life in service, we will be happy.

Posted by Elmer E. Ewing

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