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 31, 2008

I. Readings
Psalms 81, 116, 143, 147:12-20
Judges 4:4-23
Acts 1:15-26
Matthew 27:55-66

II. Selections
Psalm 147:19
[ The LORD] declares his word to Jacob,
his statutes and ordinances to Israel.

Judges 4:8
Barak said to [ Deborah the prophet], "If you will go with me, I will go; but if you will not go with me, I will not go."

Acts 1:21-22
" ...So one of the men who have accompanied us during all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, beginning from the baptism of John until the day when he was taken up from us-one of these must become a witness with us to his resurrection." [ Peter to the crowd of believers]

Matthew 27:55
Many women were also there [ at the crucifixion], looking on from a distance; they had followed Jesus from Galilee and had provided for him.

III. Meditation: Go together

You have declared your word to your people,
and you call your people to declare it to others.

The ones called must work together: some to witness,
some to provide, some to strengthen, some for company.

Posted by Elmer E. Ewing

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