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.

You Astonish Us, Jesus--Mar. 5, 2015


Jesus, you astonish us with your works;
you know how to love, and we do not,

for though we are skilled in doing evil,
we do not know how to do good.

When we try to teach others to do good,
by our example we often teach them evil.

But Jesus, do not cast us off, do not
forsake us, for you are our salvation.

Lectionary Readings
Ps. 27; 147:12-20; 126; 102
Jer. 4:9-10, 19-28
Rom. 2:12-24
John 5:19-29

Selected Verses
Ps. 27:9c
 Do not cast me off, do not forsake me,
          O God of my salvation! 

Jer. 4:22c
 "…[My people] are skilled in doing evil,
          but do not know how to do good.”

Rom. 2:21a
…you, then, that teach others, will you not teach yourself?

John 5:20
"…The Father loves the Son and shows him all that he himself is doing; and he will show him greater works than these, so that you will be astonished.  …"  [Jesus to those who sought to kill him for calling God his Father]
Posted by Elmer E. Ewing

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