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 Do not Know When--Aug. 25, 2015

[From Aug. 27, 2013 archive]

We do not always hear good news when we want to hear it.
Sometimes the wind is against us and the journey hard.
Keep us alert, Lord Jesus; we do not know when
our breath will depart us and we will return
to the earth and our plans will perish.
O, be with us now, with us then.

Lectionary Readings
Ps. 54; 146; 28; 99
1 Kings 1:32-2:46
Acts 26:24-27:8
Mark 13:28-37

Selected Verses
Ps. 146:4
When their breath departs, they return to the earth;
          on that very day their plans perish.

1 Kings 1:42
While [Joab] was still speaking, Jonathan son of the priest Abiathar arrived.  Adonijah said, "Come in, for you are a worthy man and surely you bring good news."

Acts 27:7
We sailed slowly for a number of days and arrived with difficulty off Cnidus, and as the wind was against us, we sailed under the lee of Crete off Salmone.

Mark 13:33
"…Beware, keep alert; for you do not know when the time will come.  …"  [Jesus to Peter, James, John, and Andrew]

Posted by Elmer E. Ewing

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