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.

January 09, 2008

I. Readings
Psalms 27, 46, 93
Isaiah 45:14-19
Colossians 1:24-2:7
John 8:12-19

II. Selections
Psalm 46:1
God is our refuge and strength,
a very present help in trouble.

Isaiah 45:19
I did not speak in secret,
in a land of darkness;
I did not say to the offspring of Jacob,
"Seek me in chaos."
I the LORD speak the truth,
I declare what is right.

Colossians 1:27
To [ God's saints] God chose to make known how great among the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.

John 8:12
Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness but will have the light of life."

III. Meditation: A mystery, but not chaos

Christ in us-the hope of glory-is a mystery,
but it is not chaos, nor a secret in a dark land.
For you are the light of the world, our refuge
and strength, a very present help in trouble.
When we follow you, we have the light of life.
You speak the truth, you declare what is right.

Posted by Elmer E. Ewing

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