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.


Take Heart, Get Up--March 31, 2012



When our life is crushed to the ground,
and we sit in darkness like those long dead;
when the darkness is a darkness that can be felt;

then even though our outer nature is wasting away,
daily renew our inner nature; and we will not lose heart.
Call us, as you called Bartimaeus, and we will come to you.

Lectionary Readings
Ps. 43; 149; 31; 143
Exod. 10:21-11:8
2 Cor. 4:13-18
Mark 10:46-52

Selected Verses
Ps. 143:3
For the enemy has pursued me,
      crushing my life to the ground,
      making me sit in darkness like those long dead.

Exod. 10:21
Then the LORD said to Moses, "Stretch out your hand toward heaven so that there may be darkness over the land of Egypt, a darkness that can be felt."

2 Cor. 4:16
So we do not lose heart. Even though our outer nature is wasting away, our inner nature is being renewed day by day.

Mark 10:49
Jesus stood still and said, "Call him here." And they called the blind man, saying to him, "Take heart; get up, he is calling you."
Posted by Elmer E. Ewing

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