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.

In the Day of Distress, Called--Jan. 15, 2019


O God, you give power to the faint;
you strengthen the powerless.
In the day of my distress
do not hide your face from me;
answer me speedily when I call.

Forgive me, Lord--before I called you,
you already called me.  Enlighten the eyes
of my heart, that I may know the hope to which
you have called me and immediately
answer your call.

Lectionary Readings
Ps. 42; 146; 102; 133
Isa. 40:25-31
Eph. 1:15-23
Mark 1:14-28

Selected Verses O God
Ps. 102:2
Do not hide your face from me
          in the day of my distress.
Incline your ear to me;
          answer me speedily in the day when I call.

Isa. 40:29
[The LORD] gives power to the faint,
          and strengthens the powerless. 

Eph. 1:18a
…so that, with the eyes of your heart enlightened, you may know what is the hope to which he has called you…

Mark 1:20
Immediately [Jesus] called [James and John]; and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men, and followed him.

Posted by Elmer E. Ewing

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