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 12, 2006

I. Readings
Psalms 63, 90, 125
Judges 9:22-25, 50-57
Acts 4:32-5:11
John 2:13-25

II. Selections
Psalm 90:10b
...even then [ the span of our years] is only toil and trouble;
they are soon gone, and we fly away.


Judges 9:23
But God sent an evil spirit between Abimelech and the lords of Shechem; and the lords of Shechem dealt treacherously with Abimelech.

Acts 5:3
"Ananias," Peter asked, "why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and to keep back part of the proceeds of the land? ... "

John 2:24-25
But Jesus on his part would not entrust himself to [ the people who believed in his name], because he knew all people and needed no one to testify about anyone; for he himself knew what was in everyone.


III. Meditation: Toil and trouble

Sometimes our days are full of toil and trouble,
much of which we seem to make for ourselves.

You know us and what is in us;
you know why we act badly with one another.

Do you send an evil spirit to come between us-
is that why we deal treacherously?

Does Satan fill our heart to lie to the Holy Spirit-
is that why we break our commitments to you? ;

Our days soon fly away; strengthen us to live them rightly;
and when we fail, help us to accept the responsibility.

Posted by Elmer E. Ewing

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