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.

Show Us the Land--July 10, 2010


I. Readings
Psalms 63, 149, 125, 90
Deuteronomy 34:1-12
Romans 10:14-21
Matthew 24:32-51

II. Selections
Psalm 90:12
So teach us to number our days
      that we may get a heart of wisdom.

Deuteronomy 34:1a
Then Moses went up from the plains of Moab to Mount Nebo, to the top of Pisgah, which is opposite Jericho, and the LORD showed him the whole land…

Romans 10:21
But of Israel he says, “All day long I have held out my hands to a disobedient and contrary people.”

Matthew 24:35
“…Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away. … ” [Jesus to his disciples]

III. Meditation

Lift us up from the plains of humdrum living
and show us the land you have prepared for us.

Show us that all day long you hold out your hands
to us, a disobedient and contrary people. So teach

us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom;
for heaven and earth will pass away, but your words will not.
Posted by Elmer E. Ewing

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