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.

Right in Our Own Eyes--August 16, 2010


I. Readings
Psalms 135, 145, 97, 112
Judges 17:1-13
Acts 7:44-8:1a
John 5:19-29

II. Selections
Psalms 97:1
The LORD is king! Let the earth rejoice;
      let the many coastlands be glad!

Judges 17:6
In those days there was no king in Israel; all the people did what was right in their own eyes.

Acts 8:1a
And Saul approved of their killing [Stephen].

John 5:19
Jesus said to them, “Very truly I tell you, the Son can do nothing on his own, but only what he sees the Father doing; for whatever the Father does, the Son does likewise. … ”

III. Meditation

What does it mean that you are King,
and why should it make us be glad?

When we have no authority in our lives,
we do what is right in our own eyes—
and our vision is poor. (Saul watched
approvingly while Stephen was stoned.)

Teach us to emulate Jesus, who did nothing
on his own, but only what he saw you doing.
Then we will have reason to rejoice and be glad.
Posted by Elmer E. Ewing

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