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.

Not for Nothing--Surely Not--Dec. 22, 2017


Who am I, O Lord God,
that you have brought me thus far?
You have shown me the path of life,
that in your presence is fullness of joy;
indeed your hand has been with me.
Did I experience so much
for nothing?

Lectionary Readings
Ps. 102; 148; 130; 16
2 Sam. 7:18-29
Gal. 3:1-14
Luke 1:57-66

Selected Verses
Ps. 16:11
You show me the path of life.
          In your presence there is fullness of joy;
          in your right hand are pleasures forevermore.

2 Sam. 7:18
Then King David went in and sat before the LORD, and said, "Who am I, O Lord GOD, and what is my house, that you have brought me thus far?

Gal. 3:4
Did you experience so much for nothing?--if it really was for nothing. 

Luke 1:65-66
Fear came over all [Elizabeth's and Zechariah's] neighbors, and all these things were talked about throughout the entire hill country of Judea.  All who heard them pondered them and said, "What then will this child become?" For, indeed, the hand of the Lord was with [John].



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Posted by Elmer E. Ewing

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