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.

We Cannot Deceive You, Jesus--Sept. 2, 2014


We cannot deceive you, O Jesus,
the way one person deceives another.

The poor are despoiled, the needy groan,
 rulers lay violent hands on the innocent--
Jesus, even on members of your church--
and we implore you to rise up and place
them in the safety for which they long.

Yet even as we plead we know that our
own hands are not completely free from
despoiling that causes the needy to groan.
Spare innocents from poverty and from
violence, O Jesus; and free us from
hypocrisy about our motives.

Lectionary Readings
Ps. 12, 146, 36, 7
Job 12:1, 13:3-17, 21-27
Acts 12:1-17
John 8:33-47

Selected Verses
Ps. 12:5
 “Because the poor are despoiled, because the needy groan,
          I will now rise up,” says the LORD;
          “I will place them in the safety for which they long.” 

Job 13:9b
Or can you deceive him, as one person deceives another?

Acts 12:1
About that time King Herod laid violent hands upon some who belonged to the church.

John 8:36
So if the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed.
Posted by Elmer E. Ewing

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