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.

Puzzled, Joyful, Disbelieving, Wondering--July 9, 2015


Loving God, hear my voice
when I call, and my supplications.
Teach me to hear you when you call,
and to know when it is not your Spirit,
for at times I am greatly puzzled and--
though feeling joy--disbelieving and
still wondering, is it really you?

Lectionary Readings
Ps. 116; 147:12-20; 26; 130
1 Sam. 16:14-17:11
Acts 10:17-33
Luke 24:36-53

Selected Verses
Ps. 116:1
 I love the LORD, because he has heard
          my voice and my supplications. 

1 Sam. 16:14
Now the spirit of the LORD departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the LORD tormented him. 

Acts 10:17a
Now while Peter was greatly puzzled about what to make of the vision that he had seen, suddenly the men sent by Cornelius appeared.

Luke 24:41
While in their joy [the apostles] were disbelieving and still wondering, [the risen Jesus] said to them, “Have you anything here to eat?” 

Posted by Elmer E. Ewing

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