For a Little While
I. Readings
Psalms 92, 149, 23, 114
Exodus 17:1-16
1 Peter 4:7-19
John 16:16-33
II. Selections
Psalm 92:14-15
In old age [the righteous] still produce fruit;
they are always green and full of sap,
showing that the LORD is upright;
he is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in him.
Exodus 17:4
So Moses cried out to the LORD, “What shall I do with this people? They are almost ready to stone me.”
1 Peter 4:10
Like good stewards of the manifold grace of God, serve one another with whatever gift each of you has received.
John 16:18
[His disciples] said, “What does [Jesus] mean by this ‘a little while’? We do not know what he is talking about.”
III. Meditation
Lord, our rock,
in whom there is no unrighteousness,
we know we should be serving one another
with the gifts we have received; but what shall
we do with the people you give us to serve?
They are almost ready to stone us—
and we them, if the truth be said.
Make us patient for a little while,
even if the time is vague and the meaning uncertain.
Every day, patient for a little while,
that in old age we may still be green
and full of sap, still producing fruit for you,
as stewards of your manifold grace.
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
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