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.

When We Have Been Cut to the Heart--June 23, 2017


When we have been cut to the heart
and have been brought very low,
and all has been thrown down,
 O God, what should we do?

Perhaps then it will be time to pray:
give heed to my cry, dear Lord,
but do whatever seems  
good to you.

Lectionary Readings
Ps. 51; 148; 142; 65
1 Sam. 3:1-21
Acts 2:37-47
Luke 21:5-19

Selected Verses
Ps. 142:6a
Give heed to my cry,
          for I am brought very low.

1 Sam. 3:18b
Then [Eli] said, “It is the LORD; let him do what seems good to him.”

Acts 2:37
Now when [the people] heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and to the other apostles, “Brothers, what should we do?” 

Luke 21:5-6
When some were speaking about the temple, how it was adorned with beautiful stones and gifts dedicated to God, [Jesus] said, "As for these things that you see, the days will come when not one stone will be left upon another; all will be thrown down."

Posted by Elmer E. Ewing

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