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.

May 26, 2010


Who Conquers?

I. Readings
Psalms 89:1-18, 147:1-11, 1, 33
Proverbs 6:1-19
1 John 5:1-12
Matthew 11:16-24

II. Selections
Psalm 33:14-15
From where [the LORD] sits enthroned he watches
all the inhabitants of the earth —
he who fashions the hearts of them all,
and observes all their deeds.

Proverbs 6:7-8
Without having any chief
or officer or ruler,
[the ant] prepares its food in summer,
and gathers its sustenance in harvest.

1 John 5:5
Who is it that conquers the world but the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?

Matthew 11:16
“…But to what will I compare this generation? It is like children sitting in the marketplaces and calling to one another … ” [Jesus to the crowds]

III. Meditation

Almighty God, you have fashioned our hearts;
you see what we do; you observe all our deeds.
It must hurt to watch as we try to be conquerors.

We fancy ourselves to be self-sufficient people—
hard working, able to do it ourselves as ants do;
no one needed to organize us or show us the way.

But in your eyes we must exhibit all the wisdom
of children sitting in the marketplaces, calling out
accusations, mocking others’ attempts to succeed.

When will we learn? True wisdom comes from you;
the only way we conquer is to have faith enough to
follow your Son, who conquered by giving his life.
Posted by Elmer E. Ewing

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