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.

Concern Over Numbers--August 18, 2010


I. Readings
Psalms 15, 147:1-11, 48, 4
Judges 18:16-31
Acts 8:14-25
John 6:1-15

II. Selections
Psalm 4:2
How long, you people, shall my honor suffer shame?
      How long will you love vain words, and seek after lies?
            Selah

Judges 18:19b
“…Is it better for you to be a priest to the house of one person, or to be priest to a tribe and clan in Israel?” [The Danites to Micah’s priest]

Acts 8:20
But Peter said to [Simon], “May your silver perish with you, because you thought you could obtain God’s gift with money! … ”

John 6:8-9
One of [Jesus’] disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, said to him, “There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish. But what are they among so many people?” [Andrew to Jesus]

III. Meditation

Dear God, we are concerned,
far too concerned, about numbers.

We hesitate to feed the hungry,
fretting that too few will be fed.

When we participate in a worship service
we worry over the size of the congregation.

How we love big numbers and the
vain words that accompany them!

We know how to manipulate numbers,
how to manipulate people with numbers.

If our numbers are not impressive enough,
we spend more money to buy your love.

Forgive us, when we shame your honor
with uncalled-for concern over numbers.
Posted by Elmer E. Ewing

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