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.

I Find It to Be a Law, Jesus--April 2, 2019


Lord Jesus, I find it to be a law,
that when you have not come to me,
it is dark,
that when you are not close at hand,
evil is.
Without you present, I stiffen my neck
and do not listen.
Jesus, help me to depart from evil
and do good;
to seek peace, and pursue it.

Lectionary Readings
Ps. 34; 146; 25; 91
Jer. 17:19-27
Rom. 7:13-25
John 6:16-27

Selected Verses
Ps. 34:14
Depart from evil, and do good;
          seek peace, and pursue it.

Jer. 17:23
Yet [the people of Judah] did not listen or incline their ear; they stiffened their necks and would not hear or receive instruction.

Rom. 7:21
So I find it to be a law that when I want to do what is good, evil lies close at hand. 

John 6:16-17
When evening came, his disciples went down to the sea, got into a boat, and started across the sea to Capernaum.  It was now dark, and Jesus had not yet come to them. 

Posted by Elmer E. Ewing

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