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.

A Great Light for Us Who Sit in Darkness--May 9, 2014


We sing to you, O God, and bless your name;
we tell of your salvation from day to day.

At times we have seen you as a devouring fire,
at times like a great light for us who sit in darkness.

And then we ponder, if with Christ we died to the spirits
of the universe, why live as if we still belonged to the world?

Lectionary Readings
Ps. 96; 148; 49; 138
Exod. 24:1-18
Col. 2:8-23
Matt. 4:12-17

Selected Verses
Ps. 96:2
Sing to the LORD, bless his name;
          tell of his salvation from day to day.

Exod. 24:17
Now the appearance of the glory of the LORD was like a devouring fire on the top of the mountain in the sight of the people of Israel. 

Col. 2:20a
If with Christ you died to the elemental spirits of the universe, why do you live as if you still belonged to the world?

Matt. 4:16
"…the people who sat in darkness have seen a great light, and for those who sat in the region and shadow of death light has dawned."  [Quotation from Isaiah]
Posted by Elmer E. Ewing

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