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.

August 03, 2008

I. Readings
Psalms 23, 66, 108
Judges 6:1-24
2 Corinthians 9:6-15
Mark 3:20-30

II. Selections
Psalm 66:6c-7
There we rejoiced in him,
who rules by his might forever,
whose eyes keep watch on the nations-
let the rebellious not exalt themselves. Selah

Judges 6:13a,b
Gideon answered [ the angel of the LORD], "But sir, if the LORD is with us, why then has all this happened to us? And where are all his wonderful deeds that our ancestors recounted to us ... ?"

2 Corinthians 9:15
Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!

Mark 3:22
And the scribes who came down from Jerusalem said [ about Jesus], "He has Beelzebul, and by the ruler of the demons he casts out demons."

III. Meditation: Your indescribable gift

One day we rejoice in your might,
the next we ask questions about it.

We know you keep watch on the nations,
that the rebellious not exalt themselves;

but then why do they act so badly-
why has all this happened to us?

Where are the wonders you worked in the past?
Were they really your doing, or only the devil's?

Banish our doubts; remind us what you have done,
as we give you thanks for your indescribable gift.

Posted by Elmer E. Ewing

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