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.

December 18, 2007

I. Readings
Psalms 33, 85, 94
Genesis 3:8-15
Revelation 12;1-10
John 3:16-21

II. Selections
Psalm 94:19
When the cares of my heart are many,
your consolations cheer my soul.

Genesis 3:8
They heard the sound of the LORD God walking in the garden at the time of the evening breeze, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God among the trees of the garden.

Revelation 12:9
The great dragon was thrown down, that ancient serpent, who is called the Devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world-he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him.

John 3:20
For all who are evil hate the light and do not come to the light, so that their deeds may not be exposed.

III. Meditation: The cares of our heart

When the cares of our heart are many,
with your consolations cheer our soul.

We try to hide from your presence,
for we prefer to remain in darkness.

As you threw down the great dragon,
throw down all that is evil within us-
with your consolations cheer our soul.

Posted by Elmer E. Ewing

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