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.

Water to Welcome Thirsty Children--Nov. 21, 2019



We stretch out our hands to you, gracious God;
our soul thirsts for you like a parched land.
Slake our thirst with your water of life.

Lord, millions of children in today’s world
suffer physical thirst as well as spiritual.
Show us what we can do to assuage it.

Lectionary Readings
Ps. 143; 147:12-20; 81; 116
Neh. 9:1-25
Rev. 21:22-22:5
Matt. 18:1-9

Selected Verses
Ps. 143:6
 I stretch out my hands to you;
          my soul thirsts for you like a parched land.        Selah

Neh. 9:20
“…You gave your good spirit to instruct [our ancestors], and did not withhold your manna from their mouths, and gave them water for their thirst.  …”  [Ezra’s prayer] 

Rev. 22:1-2a
Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb through the middle of the street of the city.

Matt. 18:5
“…Whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me.  …”  [Jesus, to his disciples]

Posted by Elmer E. Ewing

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