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.

April 04, 2008

I. Readings
Psalms 49, 96, 138
Exodus 16:23-36
1 Peter 3:13-4:6
John 16:1-15

II. Selections
Psalm 96:5
For all the gods of the peoples are idols,
but the LORD made the heavens.

Exodus 16:27
On the seventh day some of the people went out to gather [ manna], and they found none.

1 Peter 4:3
You have already spent enough time in doing what the Gentiles like to do, living in licentiousness, passions, drunkenness, revels, carousing, and lawless idolatry.

John 16: 15
" ...All that the Father has is mine. For this reason I said that he will take what is mine and declare it to you. ... " [ Jesus to the eleven]

III. Meditation: And they found none

Our gods are licentiousness, passions, drunkenness,
revels, carousing-and all kinds of lawless idolatry.

But these do not satisfy our craving;
for when we live contrary to your will,
we find no more than the Israelites did
who searched for manna the seventh day.

How foolish we are-you who made the heavens
are ready to provide us everything we truly need.

Posted by Elmer E. Ewing

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