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.

Subdue Our Selfishness and Our Worries--May 3, 2018



Gracious God, you subdued peoples and nations;
pray subdue our selfishness and our worries.
Help us welcome aliens, and generously;
may we trust in you to supply our needs;
by your power fulfill every good resolve
and work of faith, that we may strive first
for your kingdom and for your righteousness,
according to your grace and our Lord, Jesus Christ.

Lectionary Readings
Ps. 47; 147:12-20; 68; 113
Lev. 19:26-37
2 Thess. 1:1-12
Matt. 6:25-34

Selected Verses
Ps. 47:3
He subdued peoples under us,
          and nations under our feet. 

Lev. 19:33-34
When an alien resides with you in your land, you shall not oppress the alien.  The alien who resides with you shall be to you as the citizen among you; you shall love the alien as yourself, for you were aliens in the land of Egypt: I am the LORD your God. 

2 Thess. 1:11-12
To this end we always pray for you, asking that our God will make you worthy of his call and will fulfill by his power every good resolve and work of faith, so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Matt. 6:31-33
Therefore do not worry, saying, 'What will we eat?' or 'What will we drink?' or 'What will we wear?'  For it is the Gentiles who strive for all these things; and indeed your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.  But strive first for the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.

Posted by Elmer E. Ewing

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