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.

It Is Dark, and We Have Far to Go--Jan. 11, 2014


 Great God of faithfulness,
may our former troubles be forgotten
and hidden from your sight.

It is dark now, and we still
have far to go, and we have little power,
and we are waiting for Jesus.

As we wait, make us strong
to keep your word and honor your name;
may our hearts take courage.

Lectionary Readings

Ps. 47; 149; 27; 114
Isa. 65:13-16
Rev. 3:7-13
John 6:15-27

Selected Verses

Ps. 27:14
Wait for the LORD;
          be strong, and let your heart take courage;
          wait for the LORD!

Isa. 65:16
Then whoever invokes a blessing in the land shall bless by the God of faithfulness, and whoever takes an oath in the land shall swear by the God of faithfulness; because the former troubles are forgotten and are hidden from my sight.

Rev. 3:8b
"…I know that you have but little power, and yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name.  …"  [Words received from a vision of one like the Son of Man, addressed to the Church in Philadelphia]

John 6:16-17
When evening came, [Jesus'] disciples went down to the sea, got into a boat, and started across the sea to Capernaum.  It was now dark, and Jesus had not yet come to them.

Posted by Elmer E. Ewing

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