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.

Protection for the Innocent--April 11, 2019


Lord Jesus, you were taunted and derided;
your name was used as a curse,  
but the people were divided. There was a
remnant, chosen by grace,
who wanted to protect you from being
handed over for execution.
On which side would I have stood?
How much do I do today
to protect the innocent
from persecution?

Lectionary Readings
Ps. 27; 147:12-20; 126; 102
Jer. 26:1-24
Rom. 11:1-12
John 10:19-42

Selected Verses
Ps. 102:8
All day long my enemies taunt me;
          those who deride me use my name for a curse. 

Jer. 26:24
But the hand of Ahikam son of Shaphan was with Jeremiah so that he was not given over into the hands of the people to be put to death.

Rom. 11:5
So too at the present time there is a remnant, chosen by grace. 

John 10:19-21
Again the Jews were divided because of these words.  Many of them were saying, "He has a demon and is out of his mind.  Why listen to him?"  Others were saying, "These are not the words of one who has a demon.  Can a demon open the eyes of the blind?"

Posted by Elmer E. Ewing

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