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 Exult in God, not in Ourselves--Sept. 23, 2014


May our hearts trust in you, exult in you,
O God, not in arrogant joy over our own success.
Show us how to welcome and encourage one another
in serving you, and preserve us from all jealousy;
we ask in the name of Jesus, your Beloved,
with whom you were well pleased.

Lectionary Readings
Ps. 54; 146; 28; 99
Esth. 5:1-14
Acts 18:12-28
Luke 3:15-22

Selected Verses
Ps. 28:7
The LORD is my strength and my shield;
          in him my heart trusts;
so I am helped, and my heart exults,
          and with my song I give thanks to him.

Esth. 5:9
Haman went out that day happy and in good spirits.  But when Haman saw Mordecai in the king's gate, and observed that he neither rose nor trembled before him, he was infuriated with Mordecai…

Acts 18:27a
And when [Apollos] wished to cross over to Achaia, the believers encouraged him and wrote to the disciples to welcome him. 

Luke 3:22
…and the Holy Spirit descended upon [Jesus] in bodily form like a dove.  And a voice came from heaven, "You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased."

Posted by Elmer E. Ewing

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