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, 2008

I. Readings
Psalms 28, 54, 99
Job 6:1-4, 8-15, 21
Acts 9:32-43
John 6:60-71

II. Selections
Psalm 28:3
Do not drag me away with the wicked,
with those who are workers of evil,
who speak peace with their neighbors,
while mischief is in their hearts.

Job 6:11
" ...What is my strength, that I should wait?
And what is my end, that I should be patient? ... " [ Job]

Acts 9:39b-40a
All the widows stood beside [ Peter], weeping and showing tunics and other clothing that Dorcas had made while she was with them. Peter put all of them outside, and then he knelt down and prayed.

John 6:63
" ...It is the spirit that gives life; the flesh is useless. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life. ... " [ Jesus to many of his disciples-not just the twelve]

III. Meditation: There are times ...

There are times when we feel betrayed by neighbors
who speak peace to us with mischief in their hearts.

There are times we have too little strength to wait
because our prospects are too poor for patience.

There are times when our only recourse is to lay
aside all distractions and kneel down in prayer.

Then we realize, it is the spirit that gives life;
and we learn your words are spirit and life.

Posted by Elmer E. Ewing

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