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.

Until an Opportune Time--Sept. 21, 2016


O God, temptation seems to find us at opportune times--
When we are ignorant about you, but most often
when our pride completely overwhelms us.
Then inevitably our deeds of iniquity
begin to overwhelm us as well.
Forgive our transgressions.

Lectionary Readings
Ps. 65; 147:1-11; 125; 91
Esth. 6:1-14
Acts 19:1-10
Luke 4:1-13
           
Selected Verses
Ps. 65:3
 When deeds of iniquity overwhelm us,
          you forgive our transgressions. 

Esth. 6:6
So Haman came in, and the king said to him, "What shall be done for the man whom the king wishes to honor?"  Haman said to himself, "Whom would the king wish to honor more than me?"

Acts 19:2
[Paul] said to [the disciples], "Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you became believers?"  They replied, "No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit."

Luke 4:13
When the devil had finished every test, he departed from [Jesus] until an opportune time.

Posted by Elmer E. Ewing

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