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.

He Must Increase; I Must Decrease--March 18, 2011


You are my praise, O God, for you have done for me
great and awesome things that my eyes have seen.
Your kingdom must increase; I must decrease.
(I know this in my head, if not in my heart.)

I make bold to approach your throne of grace,
asking to receive mercy and find grace.
I come; help me in my time of need;
I wait for you, in your word I hope.


Lectionary Readings
Ps. 22; 148; 105; 130
Deut. 10:12-22
Heb. 4:11-16
John 3:22-36

Selected Verses
Ps. 130:5
I wait for the LORD, my soul waits;
      and in his word I hope…

Deut. 10:21
He is your praise; he is your God, who has done for you these great and awesome things that your own eyes have seen.

Heb. 4:16
Let us therefore approach the throne of grace with boldness, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

John 3:29-30
“…He who has the bride is the bridegroom. The friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly at the bridegroom’s voice. For this reason my joy has been fulfilled. He must increase, but I must decrease.” [John, in response to his disciples’ concern that all of the people were going to Jesus instead of him for baptism]
Posted by Elmer E. Ewing

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