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.

July 03, 2008

I. Readings
Psalms 81, 116, 143
Numbers 23:11-26
Romans 8:1-11
Matthew 22:1-14

II. Selections
Psalm 81:10
I am the LORD your God,
who brought you up out of the land of Egypt.
Open your mouth wide and I will fill it.

Numbers 23:11
Then Balak said to Balaam, "What have you done to me? I brought you to curse my enemies, but now you have done nothing but bless them."

Romans 8:1
There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.

Matthew 22:8
" ...Then [ the king] said to his slaves, 'The wedding is ready, but those invited were not worthy. ... ' "

III. Meditation: To curse or to bless?

You invite us to your wedding feast;
you bid us open our mouth wide,
so you can fill it. But we decline.

Instead we focus on our enemies.
We want you to curse them,
but you want us to bless them.

We are not worthy of your steadfast love.
How can we escape your condemnation,
unless it be through our life in Christ?

Posted by Elmer E. Ewing

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