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.

My Only Motive, Gratitude--Sept. 28, 2017


Dear God, I want to be your servant,
for you have loosed my bonds.
You have set me free for everything,
but may nothing dominate me--
nothing except faithfulness to you.
Let me never practice my piety
in front of others merely to be seen
by them, nor to convince them
that I would make a great leader.
When I do your will, may my
only motive be gratitude to you.

Lectionary Readings
Ps. 143; 147:12-20; 81; 116
2 Kings 9:1-16
1 Cor. 6:12-20
Matt. 6:1-6, 16-18

Selected Verses
Ps. 116:16
O LORD, I am your servant;
          I am your servant, the child of your serving girl.
          You have loosed my bonds. 

2 Kings 9:13
Then hurriedly [Jehu's fellow officers] all took their cloaks and spread them for him on the bare steps; and they blew the trumpet, and proclaimed, "Jehu is king."

1 Cor. 6:12
"All things are lawful for me," but not all things are beneficial.  "All things are lawful for me," but I will not be dominated by anything. 

Matt. 6:1
"Beware of practicing your piety before others in order to be seen by them; for then you have no reward from your Father in heaven.  …"  [Jesus to the crowds on the mountain]

Posted by Elmer E. Ewing

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