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 24, 2007

I. Readings
Psalms 31, 43, 143
Jeremiah 23:9-15
Romans 9:1-18
John 6:60-71

II. Selections
Psalm 31:21
Blessed be the LORD,
for he has wondrously shown his steadfast love to me
when I was beset as a city under siege.

Jeremiah 23:10
For the land is full of adulterers,
because of the curse the land mourns,
and the pastures of the wilderness are dried up.
Their course has been evil,
and their might is not right.

Romans 9:8
This means that it is not the children of the flesh who are the children of God, but the children of the promise are counted as descendants.

John 6:60
When many of his disciples heard it, they said, "This teaching is difficult. Who can accept it?"

III. Meditation: The land mourns.

We can't accept your teaching-
it is much too difficult for us.
Our course has been evil;
we have used our might
to do what isn't right;
so the land mourns,
and we are beset
and under siege.

O God, forgive.
Wondrously show
your steadfast love to us;
make us children of your promise.

Posted by Elmer E. Ewing

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