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 12, 2008

I. Readings
Psalms 42, 102, 133, 146
Judges 13:1-15
Acts 5:27-42
John 3:22-36

II. Selections
Psalms 146:7
...who executes justice for the oppressed;
who gives food to the hungry.

Judges 13:8
Then Manoah entreated the LORD, and said, "O, LORD, I pray, let the man of God whom you sent come to us again and teach us what we are to do concerning the boy who will be born."

Acts 5:38
So in the present case, I tell you, keep away from these men and let them alone; because if this plan or this undertaking is of human origin, it will fail ...

John 3:27
John answered [ his disciples], "No one can receive anything except what has been given from heaven. ... "

III. Meditation: Come to us again and teach us

You have taught us what we should do-
execute justice for the oppressed, give food to the hungry-
but we refuse to be convinced until we hear it again ...and again.
If this were an undertaking of human origin it would fail,
but it is a teaching from you, and it will succeed.

Posted by Elmer E. Ewing

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