To Know You
I. Readings
Psalms 99, 147:11, 9, 118
Exodus 33:1-23
1 Thessalonians 2:1-12
Matthew 5:17-20
II. Selections
Psalm 9:16a
The LORD has made himself known, he has executed judgment…
Exodus 33:11a
Thus the LORD used to speak to Moses face to face, as one speaks to a friend.
1 Thessalonians 2:8
So deeply do we care for you that we are determined to share with you not only the gospel of God but also our own selves, because you have become very dear to us.
Matthew 5:20
“…For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. … ” [Jesus to the crowds on the mountain]
III. Meditation
God, Jesus taught us to speak to you as our parent and friend.
Friends share themselves with each other. I do not presume
to know you as Moses knew you, and I do not expect that
you will reveal yourself to me as a human friend would do.
Yet I am known more fully by you than any friend knows me,
and you have revealed as much about your nature as I can
comprehend. (I know, for example, that you expect my love for
you and for my neighbor to extend far beyond legal niceties.)
You have made yourself known, executed your judgment,
spoken to us, shared your love and your law, shown us
your righteousness, and called us to be righteous too.
If I do not respond, it is not for lack of knowing 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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