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.


To Seek God’s Face--June 23, 2011


We want to be regarded as great—perhaps even as the greatest.
It is thrilling to hear how Joseph rose from slavery to rule Egypt.

If we cannot aspire to great personal power, we want our group—
our family, our team, our city, our nation—to be at the top rung,
with a leader who will take care of us, and fight (and win) our battles.

But you say greatness is not to be our goal;
it is in serving others that we see your face.


Lectionary Readings
Ps. 36; 147:12-20; 80; 27
1 Sam. 8:1-22
Acts 6:15-7:16
Luke 22:24-30

Selected Verses
Ps. 27:8-9a
“Come,” my heart says, “seek his face!”
      Your face, LORD, do I seek.
      Do not hide your face from me.

1 Sam. 8:19-20
But the people refused to listen to the voice of Samuel; they said, “No! but we are determined to have a king over us, so that we also may be like other nations, and that our king may govern us and go out before us and fight our battles.”

Acts 7:9-10
“…The patriarchs, jealous of Joseph, sold him into Egypt; but God was with him, and rescued him from all his afflictions, and enabled him to win favor and to show wisdom when he stood before Pharaoh, king of Egypt, who appointed him ruler over Egypt and over all his household. …” [Stephen, in response to the question of the high priest]

Luke 22:24-26a
A dispute also arose among [the disciples] as to which one of them was to be regarded as the greatest. But [Jesus] said to them, “The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them; and those in authority over them are called benefactors. But not so with you…”
Posted by Elmer E. Ewing

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