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 16, 2008

I. Readings
Psalms 9, 99, 118
Exodus 33:1-23
1 Thessalonians 2:1-12
Matthew 5:17-20

II. Selections
Psalm 99:1
The LORD is king; let the peoples tremble!
He sits enthroned upon the cherubim; let the earth quake.

Exodus 33:1
The LORD said to Moses, "Go, leave this place, you and the people whom you have brought up out of the land of Egypt, and go to the land of which I swore to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, saying, 'To you and your descendants I will give it.' ... "

1 Thessalonians 2:7b
But we were gentle among you, like a nurse tenderly caring for her own children.

Matthew 5:19
" ...Therefore, whoever breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches others to do the same, will be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. ... " [ Jesus, seated on the mountain, speaking to the crowds]

III. Meditation: Reason to obey

You are King, enthroned upon the cherubim;
we tremble before you, and the earth quakes.

You told Moses to take the people and go
to the land of milk and honey, and he went.

Jesus fit Paul's description of gentleness,
like a nurse tenderly caring for children;

but even Jesus demanded us to obey you,
else we would suffer the consequences.

So do we obey you because we are afraid,
or because we trust that you know best?
Could it even be because we love you?

Posted by Elmer E. Ewing

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