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 Always Have You, Jesus--Sept. 12, 2016


Lord Jesus, when you are not with me
(better said, when I am not with you),
I find myself in sharp disagreements,
full of anger, perhaps even jealousy;
to justify myself, I condemn others,
and all my wishes come to nothing.
Forgive me; help me stay with you.

Lectionary Readings
Ps. 135; 145; 97; 112
Job 40:1-24
Acts 15:36-16:5
John 11:55-12:8
           
Selected Verses
Ps. 112:10
 The wicked see [the righteous honored] and are angry;
          they gnash their teeth and melt away;
          the desire of the wicked comes to nothing.

Job 40:8
"…Will you even put me in the wrong?  Will you condemn me that you may be justified?  …"  [The LORD to Job]

Acts 15:38-39
But Paul decided not to take with them one who had deserted them in Pamphylia and had not accompanied them in the work.  The disagreement became so sharp that they parted company; Barnabas took Mark with him and sailed away to Cyprus.

John 12:8
"…You always have the poor with you, but you do not always have me."  [Jesus to Judas]
Posted by Elmer E. Ewing

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