The Content of Our Hearts
I. Readings
Psalms 98, 146, 66, 116
Exodus 32:21-34
1 Thessalonians 1:1-10
Matthew 5:11-16
II. Selections
Psalm 66:18
If I had cherished iniquity in my heart,
the Lord would not have listened.
Exodus 32:24
“…So I said to [the people], ‘Whoever has gold, take it off’; so they gave it to me, and I threw it into the fire, and out came this calf!” [Aaron to Moses]
1 Thessalonians 1:2-3
We always give thanks to God for all of you and mention you in our prayers, constantly remembering before our God and Father your work of faith and labor of love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.
Matthew 5:16
“…In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven. … ” [Jesus to the crowds on the mountain]
III. Meditation
What is in our heart matters—which should surprise us no more
than the emergence of a golden calf should have surprised Aaron,
who had cast it.
If our hearts are filled with iniquity, you will not listen to our prayers;
if they are filled with thanks, you will hear us when we pray for others.
If our hearts are filled with your light, others will see it.
Strengthen our hearts, that we may work in faith,
labor in love, and steadfastly hope in you.
Meditations inspired by readings from the Daily Lectionary as found in the Mission Yearbook of the Presbyterian Church (USA)
- Elmer E. Ewing
- 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.
"Elijah" - A bronze sculpture by a friend, the late Reverend Gurdon Brewster. Click on the image to see more of his sculptures.
Archives
Samples from the archives
- 3/19/18 Remedy for Hubris--A Child Could Do It
- 2/25/14 Unbind me, Jesus
- 10/26/13 Refreshing hearts, in Christ
- 8/9/13 When things I do displease you, God
- 2/7/13 Freed, saved, gathered in
- 1/1/13 For a joy that is complete
- 11/20/12 Though the fig tree does not blossom
- 11/19/12 Alas, my house is set on high
- 10/14/12 Held in your arms
- 9/14/12 The land cries out against us
- 8/29/12 The snare of false accusation
- 8/5/12 Tie up the strong man
- 4/5/12 We who dip bread
- 9/23/10 The right to be joyful
- 9/18/10 Chief cornerstone
- 7/27/10 Triumph over enemies
- 10/9/08 Our iniquity is great
- 5/14/08 When at night
- 2/17/08 The thin and ugly
- 1/17/07 We do not know you
- 1/3/07 Promises
- 1/2/07 For things not seen
- 10/3/06 Fear of you
- 10/2/06 Little we know
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