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.

June 02, 2008

I. Readings
Psalms 47, 57, 85
Ecclesiastes 2:1-15
Galatians 1:1-17
Matthew 13:44-52

II. Selections
Psalm 57:1b
...in the shadow of your wings I will take refuge,
until the destroying storms pass by.

Ecclesiastes 2:11
Then I considered all that my hands had done and the toil I had spent in doing it, and again, all was vanity and a chasing after wind, and there was nothing to be gained under the sun.

Galatians 1:3-4a
Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, who gave himself for our sins to set us free from the present evil age ...

Matthew 13:46
" ...on finding one pearl of great value, [ the merchant] went and sold all that he had and bought it. ... " [ Jesus to his disciples]

III. Meditation: Refuge

In midst of the destroying storm
of cynicism, disillusionment,

under your wings, our refuge;
you set us free from evil.

You are the one pearl
of great value.

Posted by Elmer E. Ewing

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