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.

May 08, 2008

I. Readings
Psalms 47, 68, 113
Zechariah 4:1-14
Ephesians 4:17-32
Matthew 9:1-8

II. Selections
Psalm 68:35
Awesome is God in his sanctuary,
the God of Israel;
he gives power and strength to his people.
Blessed be God!

Zechariah 4:10b
"These seven are the eyes of the LORD, which range through the whole earth." [ The word of the LORD]

Ephesians 4:29
Let no evil talk come out of your mouths, but only what is useful for building up, as there is need, so that your words may give grace to those who hear.

Matthew 9:8
When the crowds saw [ Jesus heal the paralytic], they were filled with awe, and they glorified God, who had given such authority to human beings.

III. Meditation: Awesome

You are awesome; you fill us with awe.
You are awesome in your sanctuary;
your eyes range through the whole earth.

Give power and strength to your people,
that no evil talk comes from our mouth
and our words give grace to those who hear.

Posted by Elmer E. Ewing

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