Where Can I Turn?
I. Readings
Psalms 5, 147:1-11, 27, 51
Genesis 37:25-36
1 Corinthians 2:1-13
Mark 1:29-45
II. Selections
Psalm 5:6
You destroy those who speak lies;
the LORD abhors the bloodthirsty and deceitful.
Genesis 37:30
[Reuben] returned to his brothers, and said, “The boy is gone; and I, where can I turn?”
1 Corinthians 2:12
Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit that is from God, so that we may understand the gifts bestowed on us by God.
Mark 1:38
[Jesus] answered, “Let us go on to the neighboring towns, so that I may proclaim the message there also; for that is what I came to do.”
III. Meditation
The spirit of the world leaves us not knowing
where to turn when disaster strikes.
The spirit of the world encourages lies and deceit
and ruthlessness as ways of escaping our problems.
You proclaimed a different message, led by
a different Spirit. Your Spirit enables us to
understand the gifts you have bestowed
upon us, and how to use them.
Your Spirit calls us to follow you,
for your message must be proclaimed.
Meditations inspired by readings from the Daily Lectionary as found in the Mission Yearbook of the Presbyterian Church (USA)
- Elmer E. Ewing
- 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.
"Elijah" - A bronze sculpture by a friend, the late Reverend Gurdon Brewster. Click on the image to see more of his sculptures.
Archives
Samples from the archives
- 3/19/18 Remedy for Hubris--A Child Could Do It
- 2/25/14 Unbind me, Jesus
- 10/26/13 Refreshing hearts, in Christ
- 8/9/13 When things I do displease you, God
- 2/7/13 Freed, saved, gathered in
- 1/1/13 For a joy that is complete
- 11/20/12 Though the fig tree does not blossom
- 11/19/12 Alas, my house is set on high
- 10/14/12 Held in your arms
- 9/14/12 The land cries out against us
- 8/29/12 The snare of false accusation
- 8/5/12 Tie up the strong man
- 4/5/12 We who dip bread
- 9/23/10 The right to be joyful
- 9/18/10 Chief cornerstone
- 7/27/10 Triumph over enemies
- 10/9/08 Our iniquity is great
- 5/14/08 When at night
- 2/17/08 The thin and ugly
- 1/17/07 We do not know you
- 1/3/07 Promises
- 1/2/07 For things not seen
- 10/3/06 Fear of you
- 10/2/06 Little we know
No comments:
Post a Comment