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 Need of Moses, Paul, and Jesus--June 26, 2016

[From July 1, 2012 archive]

O God, you are our refuge and strength;
we need help in a time of trouble.

We have sinned; we need a Moses to pray to you
that you will take the serpents from us.

We need a Paul to proclaim to us, who the
the unknown God we worship is.

We are bent over, unable to stand straight;
we need Jesus to lay hands on us.

Lectionary Readings
Ps. 67; 150; 46; 93
Num. 21:4-9, 21-35
Acts 17:12-21, 23-24
Luke 13:10-17

Selected Verses
Ps. 46:1
God is our refuge and strength,
          a very present help in trouble.

Num. 21:7
The people came to Moses and said, "We have sinned by speaking against the LORD and against you; pray to the LORD to take away the serpents from us."  So Moses prayed for the people.

Acts 17:23
"…For as I went through the city and looked carefully at the objects of your worship, I found among them an altar with the inscription, 'To an unknown god.'  What therefore you worship as unknown, this I proclaim to you.  …"  [Paul to the Athenians]

Luke 13:13
When [Jesus] laid his hands on [the woman who was bent over and could not stand straight], immediately she stood up straight and began praising God.

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