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.

August 26, 2005

I. Readings
Psalms 6, 20, 88
1 Kings 5:1-6:1, 7
Acts 28:1-16
Mark 14:27-42

II. Selections
Ps. 6:6
I am weary with my moaning;
every night I flood my bed with tears;
I drench my couch with my weeping.

1 Kings 5:3
"You know that my father David could not build a house for the name of the LORD his God because of the warfare with which his enemies surrounded him, until the LORD put them under the soles of his feet. ..." [ Solomon to King Hiram]

Acts 28:2
The natives showed us unusual kindness. Since it had begun to rain and was cold, they kindled a fire and welcomed all of us around it.

Mark 14:33-34
[ Jesus] took with him Peter and James and John, and began to be distressed and agitated. And said to them, "I am deeply grieved, even to death; remain here, and keep awake."

III. Meditation: Friends
It is good to have friends. King Solomon counted on the friendship of King Hiram to help build the temple. Paul and his companions benefited from the friendship of strangers who welcomed them to Malta. In his time of deepest anguish Jesus took his closest friends to watch with him. When we are weary with moaning and flood our bed with tears, may we remember what he endured. His friends failed him; he will not fail us.

Posted by Elmer E. Ewing

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