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.

Self Deceit--July 22, 2010


I. Readings
Psalms 36, 147:12-20, 80, 27
Joshua 9:3-21
Romans 15:1-13
Matthew 26:69-75

II. Selections
Psalm 36:2
For they flatter themselves in their own eyes
that their iniquity cannot be found out and hated.

Joshua 9:16
But when three days had passed after [Joshua and the Israelites] had made a treaty with [the inhabitants of Gibeon], they heard that they were their neighbors and were living among them.

Romans 15:1
We who are strong ought to put up with the failings of the weak, and not to please ourselves.

Matthew 26:75c
And [Peter] went out and wept bitterly.

III. Meditation

Sometimes we are deceived by the neighbors who
live among us; more often we deceive ourselves.

Why should we be reluctant to put up with the failings
of the weak, as if we have no weaknesses of our own?

When I flatter myself that my failings cannot be found out,
and my hypocrisy is uncovered, I feel like bitter weeping.
Posted by Elmer E. Ewing

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