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.


Ambivalence--Oct. 21,2011



Gracious God, sometimes our rejoicing
is hard to distinguish from our weeping.

We have seen your mighty acts,
known the glory of your presence;

yet well remember how it feels
when you hide your face and cast us off.

Tie up the strong man, that enemy within;
grant us strength and courage to stand firm in our faith.

Lectionary Readings
Ps. 88; 148; 6; 20
Jer. 43:1-13
1 Cor. 16:10-24
Matt. 12:22-32

Selected Verses
Ps. 88:14
O LORD, why do you cast me off?
      Why do you hide your face from me?

Ezra 3:13
… so that the people could not distinguish the sound of the joyful shout from the sound of the people’s weeping, for the people shouted so loudly that the sound was heard far away.

1 Cor. 16:13
Keep alert, stand firm in your faith, be courageous, be strong.

Matt. 12:29a
"…Or how can one enter a strong man's house and plunder his property, without first tying up the strong man? …" [Jesus to the Pharisees who thought he cast out demons by Beelzebul]
Posted by Elmer E. Ewing

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