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.

March 20, 2007

I. Readings
Psalms 25, 34, 91
Jeremiah 17:19-27
Romans 7:13-25
John 6:16-27

II. Selections
Psalm 34:1
I will bless the LORD at all times;
his praise shall be continually in my mouth.

Jeremiah 17:19-20
Thus said the LORD to me: Go and stand in the People's Gate, by which the kings of Judah enter and by which they go out, and in all the gates of Jerusalem, and say to them: Hear the word of the LORD, you kings of Judah, and all Judah, and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, who enter by these gates.

Romans 7:21
So I find it to be a law that when I want to do what is good, evil lies close at hand.

John 6:21
Then [ the disciples] wanted to take [ Jesus] into the boat, and immediately the boat reached the land toward which they were going.

III. Meditation: Frustrations

We declare we will bless you at all times,
your praise continually in our mouths;
but the harder we try to do good,
the closer at hand evil lies.

You send us to the city gates
to say your word-no one listens.
And just when we try to take you aboard,
we already reach our destination. Frustrations!

Posted by Elmer E. Ewing

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