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.

Be with Us when We Call to You--July 31, 2013


 The common people recognized you, Lord Jesus;
they rushed to bring their sick to you.

You pleased them, even more than King David
had pleased his subjects with all he did.

Sometimes, however, you and your followers
disturbed the city, even by doing good.

Lord, be present with us when we call to you;
and answer us in our time of trouble.

Lectionary Readings

Ps. 65; 147:1-11; 125; 91
2 Sam. 3:22-39
Acts16:16-24
Mark 6:47-56

Selected Verses

Ps. 91:15
When [those who love me] call to me, I will answer them;
          I will be with them in trouble,
          I will rescue them and honor them.

2 Sam. 3:36
All the people took notice of [David's fast for Abner], and it pleased them; just as everything the king did pleased all the people.

Acts 16:20a
When [the owners of the slave-girl whom Paul had cured of a spirit of divination] had brought [Paul and Silas] before the magistrates, they said, “These men are disturbing our city…"

Mark 6:54-55
When [Jesus and his disciples] got out of the boat, people at once recognized him, and rushed about that whole region and began to bring the sick on mats to wherever they heard he was.

Posted by Elmer E. Ewing

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