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.

When We Make You Ashamed--Feb. 4, 2014


 Forgive us when we force away those we love,
and when we think all the faithful have disappeared;
forgive us when we complain among ourselves,
and when we make you ashamed that we are your people.

Lectionary Readings

Ps. 12; 146; 36; 7
Gen. 21:1-21
Heb. 11:13-22
John 6:41-51

Selected Verses

Ps. 12:1
Help, O LORD, for there is no longer anyone who is godly;
          the faithful have disappeared from humankind.

Gen. 21:14
So Abraham rose early in the morning, and took bread and a skin of water, and gave it to Hagar, putting it on her shoulder, along with the child, and sent her away.

Heb. 11:16b
Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God; indeed, he has prepared a city for them.

John 6:43

Jesus answered [the Jews who had followed him across the sea], "Do not complain among yourselves.  …"


Posted by Elmer E. Ewing

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