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.

How Do You Help in Trouble, God?--June 29, 2014


God, you are our refuge and strength,
a very present help in trouble.

We can flee trouble, as Paul fled Beroea--
sometimes flight is the best option.

We can kill our opponents, as Israel killed
all in Bashan, but that was genocide.

And we can act as love dictates, defying
carping criticism, emulating Jesus.

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

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

Numb. 21:35
So [Israel] killed [King Og of Bashan], his sons, and all his people, until there was no survivor left; and they took possession of his land.

Acts 17:13-14a
But when the Jews of Thessalonica learned that the word of God had been proclaimed by Paul in Beroea as well, they came there too, to stir up and incite the crowds.  Then the believers immediately sent Paul away to the coast…

Luke 13:17
When [Jesus] said this, all his opponents were put to shame; and the entire crowd was rejoicing at all the wonderful things that he was doing.

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