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.

April 03, 2010

Who Can Command?

I. Readings
Psalms 43, 149, 31, 143
Lamentations 3:37-58
Hebrews 4:1-16
Romans 8:1-11

II. Selections
Psalm 31:5
Into your hand I commit my spirit;
you have redeemed me, O LORD, faithful God.

Lamentations 3:37
Who can command and have it done, if the LORD has not ordained it?

Hebrews 4:16
Let us therefore approach the throne of grace with boldness, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

Romans 8:6
To set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace.

III. Meditation

Who can command and have it done,
if you, O Lord, have not ordained it?

And why should we desire anything you have
not ordained, when you are full of mercy and grace?

Therefore we approach you with boldness.
You have redeemed us, and you are faithful.

Into your hand we commit our spirit, in the sure knowledge
that we shall find there grace to help in time of need.

To set our mind on your Spirit
is life and peace.
Posted by Elmer E. Ewing

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