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.

Bound by Cords of Love--May 18, 2015


The heavens are yours, O God, but
you have given us the earth,
and we can do with it as we please.

True, there are strings attached
to keep us from destroying ourselves,
but they are only cords of love,
and you will permit us to break them.

When the days drew near for
Jesus to be taken up, he was bound
by these cords, but he did not
break them.  Instead he set his face
to go to Jerusalem--and went.

Lectionary Readings
Ps. 97; 145; 124; 115
Ezek. 4:1-17
Heb. 6:1-12
Luke 9:51-62

Selected Verses
Ps. 115:16
The heavens are the LORD’s heavens,
          but the earth he has given to human beings. 

Ezek. 4:8
See, I am putting cords on you so that you cannot turn from one side to the other until you have completed the days of your siege.  [The LORD to Ezekiel]

Heb. 6:13
And we will do this, if God permits.

Luke 9:51
When the days drew near for [Jesus] to be taken up, he set his face to go to Jerusalem.
Posted by Elmer E. Ewing

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