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.

Pleasing to Others, or to You?--Sept. 20, 2017

[From Sept. 14, 2005 archive]

How long shall your honor suffer shame?
How long will we love vain words and seek after lies;
when will we heed your call and seek to follow you?

How long will we say only what is pleasing to others;
when will our words be what is pleasing to you?

And how shall we comprehend what is truly yours,
except you reveal it to us?

Lectionary Readings
Ps. 15; 147:1-11; 48; 4
1 Kings 22:1-28
1 Cor. 2:1-13
Matt. 4:18-25

Selected Verses
Ps. 4:2
How long, you people, shall my honor suffer shame?
            How long will you love vain words, and seek after lies?        Selah

1 Kings 22:13
The messenger who had gone to summon Micaiah said to him, "Look, the words of the prophets with one accord are favorable to the king; let your word be like the word of one of them, and speak favorably."

1 Cor. 2:11
For what human being knows what is truly human except the human spirit that is within?  So also no one comprehends what is truly God's except the Spirit of God.

Matt. 4:21-22
As he went from there, he saw two other brothers, James son of Zebedee and his brother John, in the boat with their father Zebedee, mending their nets, and he called them.  Immediately they left the boat and their father, and followed him.

Posted by Elmer E. Ewing

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