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.

Restore Our Souls--May 27, 2017


When our foreheads are hard,
and our hearts are stubborn,
lead us beside still waters,
O God, and restore our souls.

Let suffering teach us obedience--
making us willing to listen to you,
and to those you send to teach us.
And when we do not understand,
may we not be too proud to ask.

Lectionary Readings
Ps. 92; 149; 23; 114
Ezek. 3:4-17
Heb. 5:7-14
Luke 9:37-50
           
Selected Verses
Ps. 23:1-2
The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not want.
        He makes me lie down in green pastures;
he leads me beside still waters;
        he restores my soul. 

Ezek. 3:7
But the house of Israel will not listen to you, for they are not willing to listen to me; because all the house of Israel have a hard forehead and a stubborn heart.

Heb. 5:8
Although [Jesus] was a Son, he learned obedience through what he suffered…

Luke 9:45
But they did not understand this saying; its meaning was concealed from them, so that they could not perceive it.  And they were afraid to ask him about this saying.

Posted by Elmer E. Ewing

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