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.

Better than Life, Your Steadfast Love--June 6, 2020


When out of our hearts come evil intentions
and evil deeds,
then all our days are filled with vexation,
sickness, and resentment.

God, send your Spirit into our hearts,
crying Abba!  Father!

Teach us that we are your children,
and that your steadfast love
is better than life. Our lips
will praise you.

Lectionary Readings
Ps. 122; 149; 100; 63
Eccl. 5:8-20
Gal. 3:23-4:11
Matt. 15:1-20

Selected Verses
Ps. 63:3
Because your steadfast love is better than life,
          my lips will praise you.

Eccl. 5:17
Besides, all their days they eat in darkness, in much vexation and sickness and resentment.

Gal. 4:6
And because you are children, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!”

Matt. 15:19
“…For out of the heart come evil intentions, murder, adultery, fornication, theft, false witness, slander.  …”  [Jesus, to his disciples]

Posted by Elmer E. Ewing

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