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 Need You, Where Are You, God?--Aug. 15, 2017


Where are you, O God, when we need you?
Where are you when we are weeping,
when our hearts are breaking,
when our only food is tears,
when our minds are on
one we have lost?

Give us the mind of a little child,
and a mind to say, "Your will be done."

Lectionary Readings
Ps. 42; 146; 102; 133
2 Sam. 14:1-20
Acts 21:1-14
Mark 10:1-16

Selected Verses
Ps. 42:3
My tears have been my food
          day and night,
while people say to me continually,
          "Where is your God?"

2 Sam. 14:1
Now Joab son of Zeruiah perceived that the king’s mind was on Absalom.

Acts 21:13-14
Then Paul answered, "What are you doing, weeping and breaking my heart?  For I am ready not only to be bound but even to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus."  Since he would not be persuaded, we remained silent except to say, "The Lord’s will be done."

Mark 10:15
"…Truly I tell you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will never enter it." [Jesus to his disciples]

Posted by Elmer E. Ewing

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