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.

September 21, 2008

I. Readings
Psalms 46, 67, 93
Esther 3:1-4:3
James 1:19-27
Matthew 6:1-6, 16-18

II. Selections
Psalm 46:9
[ The LORD] makes wars cease to the end of the earth;
he breaks the bow, and shatters the spear;
he burns the shields with fire.

Esther 3:8
Then Haman said to King Ahasuerus, "There is a certain people scattered and separated among the peoples in all the provinces of your kingdom; their laws are different from those of every other people, and they do not keep the king's laws, so that it is not appropriate for the king to tolerate them. ... "

James 1:25
But those who look into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and persevere, being not hearers who forget but doers who act-they will be blessed in their doing.

Matthew 6:1
" ...Beware of practicing your piety before others in order to be seen by them; for then you have no reward from your Father in heaven. ... " [ Jesus, seated on the mountain, speaking to the crowds]

III. Meditation: Perseverance in the perfect law

God of justice and peace, you make wars cease;
teach us not to persecute others just for being different,
but teach us to live your perfect law of love, and to persevere-
not for hope of human approval, but that we may gain your blessing.
In the name of him who showed us how to persevere in love, even to a cross.

Posted by Elmer E. Ewing

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