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 28, 2008

I. Readings
Psalms 97, 115, 124
Leviticus 25:35-55
Colossians 1:9-14
Matthew 13:1-6

II. Selections
Psalm 115:15
May you be blessed by the LORD,
who made heaven and earth.

Leviticus 25:55
For to me the people of Israel are servants; they are my servants whom I brought out from the land of Egypt: I am the LORD your God.

Colossians 1:13
[ The Father] has rescued us from the power of darkness and transferred us into the kingdom of his beloved Son ...

Matthew 13:16
" ...But blessed are your eyes, for they see, and your ears, for they hear. ... " [ Jesus to the disciples]

III. Meditation: From darkness to servanthood

You made heaven and earth,
you made our eyes and ears.
Bless us, we pray-our eyes,
that we may see; and our ears,
that we may hear.

From the power of darkness
you have rescued us; you have
transferred us into the kingdom
of your beloved Son, there to be
your servants.

Posted by Elmer E. Ewing

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