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.

A Mist That Appears, Then Vanishes?--Nov. 19, 2020


 What is my life, but a mist that appears, then vanishes?

I do not even know what tomorrow will bring, O God,

yet in the morning, let me hear of your steadfast love.

 

For if I try to make my life secure, I will lose it,

and if I lose my life in you, Lord, I will keep it.

 

I lift up my soul to you; teach me the way I should go,

that I may walk with you in integrity and uprightness;

in you I put my trust.

 

Lectionary Readings

Ps. 143; 147:12-20; 81; 116

Mal. 2:16

James 4:13-5:6

Luke 17:20-37

 

Selected Verses

Ps. 143:8

Let me hear of your steadfast love in the morning,
          for in you I put my trust.
Teach me the way I should go,
          for to you I lift up my soul.

 

Mal. 2:6

True instruction was in [Levi’s] mouth, and no wrong was found on his lips.  He walked with me in integrity and uprightness, and he turned many from iniquity.

 

James 4:14

Yet you do not even know what tomorrow will bring.  What is your life?  For you are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.

 

Luke 17:33

“…Those who try to make their life secure will lose it, but those who lose their life will keep it.  …”  [Jesus, to his disciples]


Posted by Elmer E. Ewing

2 comments:

  1. Mea SententiaNovember 19, 2020 at 6:43 PM

    This is beautiful. I used it for morning prayer today.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Elmer E. EwingNovember 19, 2020 at 7:37 PM

    Thank you. Of course the words only paraphrase scripture, but I am very glad that you found meaning them.

    ReplyDelete

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)