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.

Looking for Jesus--March 30, 2021


God, spare us from wicked, ruthless gossip,

but when we share good news with others,

may your praise be always in our mouth.

 

And God make our thinking more mature,

as we discuss our thoughts with others.

Thus reveal to us how we are wrong.

 

Guide us to distinguish whether we 

in stubbornness refuse to change,

or are we holding fast to good,

as we, too, look for Jesus?

 

Lectionary Readings

Ps. 34; 146; 25; 91

Jer. 15:10-21

Phil. 3:15-21

John 12:20-26

 

Selected Verses 

Ps. 34:1

 I will bless the LORD at all times;
          his praise shall continually be in my mouth.

 

Jer. 15:21

I will deliver you out of the hand of the wicked,
          and redeem you from the grasp of the ruthless.

 

Phil. 3:15-16

Let those of us then who are mature be of the same mind; and if you think differently about anything, this too God will reveal to you.  Only let us hold fast to what we have attained.

 

John 12:21-22

[Greeks] came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, and said to him, “Sir, we wish to see Jesus.”  Philip went and told Andrew; then Andrew and Philip went and told Jesus.


Posted by Elmer E. Ewing

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