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 28, 2008

I. Readings
Psalms 81, 116, 143
Job 8:1-10, 20-22
Acts 10:17-33
John 7:14-36

II. Selections
Psalm 81:13
" ...O that my people would listen to me,
that Israel would walk in my ways. ... "

Job 8:21
" ...[ God] will yet fill your mouth with laughter,
and your lips with shouts of joy. ... "
[ Bildad to Job]

Acts 10: 33b
" ...So now all of us are here in the presence of God to listen to all that the Lord has commanded you to say." [ Cornelius to Peter]

John 7:17
" ...Anyone who resolves to do the will of God will know whether the teaching is from God or whether I am speaking on my own. ... " [ Jesus teaching in the temple]

III. Meditation: If we listen

If we listen to you, you will fill our mouth
with laughter and our lips with shouts of joy.
If we listen to you, we will walk in your ways.

And if we resolve to do your will, and gather in
your presence, we will know whether the teaching
we hear comes from you or is only from the speaker.

Posted by Elmer E. Ewing

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