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 11, 2008

I. Readings
Psalms 29, 33, 104
Deuteronomy 16:9-12
Acts 4:18-21, 23-33
John 4:19-26

II. Selections
Psalm 104:12
By the streams the birds of the air have their habitation;
they sing among the branches.

Deuteronomy 16:10
Then you shall keep the festival of weeks for the LORD your God, contributing a freewill offering in proportion to the blessing that you have received from the LORD your God.

Acts 4:31
When they had prayed, the place in which they had gathered together was shaken; and they were filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God with boldness.

John 4:23
" ...But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father seeks such as these to worship him. ... " [ Jesus to the woman of Samaria]

III. Meditation: Where is the place for Pentecost?

Where will we find a place to worship you in spirit and truth-
a place we can gather to pray, and the building will be shaken;
where we will be filled with Spirit and boldly speak your word?

Will it be a place by a stream, by trees where the birds of the air
live and sing among the branches? Or a place we gather together
and contribute a freewill offering proportionate to your blessings?

Wherever the place, it will be where you seek us to worship you.

Posted by Elmer E. Ewing

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