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.

June 10, 2010

We Wait

I. Readings
Psalms 116, 147:12-20, 26, 130
Ecclesiastes 11:1-8
Galatians 5:16-24
Matthew 16:13-20

II. Selections
Psalm 130:5-6
I wait for the LORD, my soul waits,
      and in his word I hope;
my soul waits for the Lord
      more than those who watch for the morning,
      more than those who watch for the morning.

Ecclesiastes 11:5
Just as you do not know how the breath comes to the bones in the mother’s womb, so you do not know the work of God, who makes everything.

Galatians 5:17
For what the flesh desires is opposed to the Spirit, and what the Spirit desires is opposed to the flesh; for these are opposed to each other, to prevent you from doing what you want.

Matthew 16:17
And Jesus answered [Peter], “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father in heaven. … ”

III. Meditation

We cannot comprehend how you breathe your Spirit into us,
nor any other part of your work, O Maker of all things.

We cannot understand, but we wait for you;
Our soul waits, and in your word we hope.

The things of this world we think we want do not satisfy;
they are opposed to what your Spirit wants to give us.

As you revealed your Son to Peter, reveal yourself to us,
for of our own striving, we have no hope of finding you.

And so we wait for you, more than those who watch for the morning—
more than those who watch for the morning; and in your word we hope.
Posted by Elmer E. Ewing

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