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 the Land of War, a Sign of Compassion?--Aug. 6, 2016

[From Aug. 9, 2014 archive] 

O God, my God, I seek you;
my soul thirsts for a sign of compassion
for those who are in the dry and weary land of war.

You know all people and what is in everyone.
Is there an evil spirit at work that makes us
deal with savage cruelty to one another?
Has Satan filled our hearts with evil?
Come bring your healing peace.

Lectionary Readings
Ps. 63; 149; 125; 90
Judg. 9:22-25, 50-57
Acts 4:32-5:11
John 2:13-25

Selected Verses
Ps. 63:1
O God, you are my God, I seek you,
          my soul thirsts for you;
my flesh faints for you,
          as in a dry and weary land where there is no water.

Judg. 9:23
But God sent an evil spirit between Abimelech and the lords of Shechem; and the lords of Shechem dealt treacherously with Abimelech. 

Acts 5:3
"Ananias," Peter asked, "why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and to keep back part of the proceeds of the land?

John 2:24-25
But Jesus on his part would not entrust himself to them, because he knew all people and needed no one to testify about anyone; for he himself knew what was in everyone.

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