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.

In a Time of Trouble--July 1, 2012



O God, you are our refuge and strength;
we need help in a time of trouble.

We have sinned and need a Moses to pray to you
that you will take the serpents from us.

We need a Paul to proclaim to us who
the unknown God we worship is.

We are bent over, unable to stand straight;
we need Jesus to lay hands on us.

Lectionary Readings
Ps. 67; 150; 46; 93
Numb. 21:4-9, 21-35
Acts 17:12-21, 23-24
Luke 13:10-17

Selected Verses
Ps. 46:1
God is our refuge and strength,
      a very present help in trouble.

Numb. 21:7
The people came to Moses and said, "We have sinned by speaking against the LORD and against you; pray to the LORD to take away the serpents from us." So Moses prayed for the people.

Acts 17:23
"…For as I went through the city and looked carefully at the objects of your worship, I found among them an altar with the inscription, 'To an unknown god.' What therefore you worship as unknown, this I proclaim to you. …" [Paul to the Athenians]

Luke 13:13
When [Jesus] laid his hands on [the woman who was bent over and could not stand straight], immediately she stood up straight and began praising God.
Posted by Elmer E. Ewing

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