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.

When We Have Been Ill Treated--July 22, 2019



Gracious and merciful God,
slow to anger, abounding in steadfast love—

when we have been ill treated, are our roots so shallow
that we respond in kind, and fall away from following you?

Or do we shake the dust off our feet and turn our backs on conflict?
Better yet, are we able to repay evil with good? 
Pray help us choose.

Lectionary Readings
Ps. 135; 145; 97; 112
1 Sam. 24:1-22
Acts 13:44-52
Mark 4:1-20

Selected Verses
Ps. 145:8
The LORD is gracious and merciful,
          slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. 

1 Sam. 24:17
[King Saul] said to David, “You are more righteous than I; for you have repaid me good, whereas I have repaid you evil.  …"

Acts 13:50-51
But the Jews incited the devout women of high standing and the leading men of the city, and stirred up persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and drove them out of their region.  So they shook the dust off their feet in protest against them, and went to Iconium.

Mark 4:16
“…And these are the ones sown on rocky ground: when they hear the word, they immediately receive it with joy.  But they have no root, and endure only for a while; then, when trouble or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately they fall away.  [Jesus, to his disciples]

Posted by Elmer E. Ewing

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