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.

In No Way Intimidated--Sept. 10, 2019


God of our lives, we pray to you.
By day command your steadfast love,
and at night may your song be with us.

Forfend we should walk in the way of sin,
seized by fear, afraid to do your bidding.
Help us to live our lives in a manner
worthy of the gospel of Christ,
standing firm in one spirit
with one mind in faith,
striving side by side;
in no way may we
be intimidated
by evil.

Lectionary Readings
Ps. 42; 146; 102; 133
1 Kings 16:23-34
Phil. 1:12-30
Mark 16:1-20

Selected Verses
Ps. 42:8
By day the LORD commands his steadfast love,
          and at night his song is with me,
          a prayer to the God of my life.

1 Kings 16:26
For [King Omri] walked in all the way of Jeroboam son of Nebat, and in the sins that he caused Israel to commit, provoking the LORD, the God of Israel, to anger by their idols. 

Phil. 1:27-28a
Only, live your life in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that, whether I come and see you or am absent and hear about you, I will know that you are standing firm in one spirit, striving side by side with one mind for the faith of the gospel, and are in no way intimidated by your opponents. 

Mark 16:8
So [the three women] went out and fled from the tomb, for terror and amazement had seized them; and they said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid.

Posted by Elmer E. Ewing

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