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.

To Be God’s Children--April 22, 2021


Eternal God, we know that we are your children,

also know Jesus came to give us understanding.

 

Yet we fail to honor him or you, in whose power

is our breath, you whom all our ways belong to.

 

We know that our sin separates us from you, 

and separation is to live in a parched land.

 

But neither give up on us, nor leave us, 

for still we want to be your children.

 

Lectionary Readings

Ps. 47; 147:12-20; 68; 113

Dan. 5:13-30

1 John 5:13-21

Luke5:1-11

 

Selected Verses 

Ps. 68:6

God gives the desolate a home to live in;
          he leads out the prisoners to prosperity,
          but the rebellious live in a parched land.

 

Dan. 5:23c

“…You have praised the gods of silver and gold, of bronze, iron, wood, and stone, which do not see or hear or know; but the God in whose power is your very breath, and to whom belong all your ways, you have not honored.  …”  [Daniel, to King Belshazzar]

 

1 John 5:19-20

We know that we are God’s children, and that the whole world lies under the power of the evil one.  And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding so that we may know him who is true; and we are in him who is true, in his Son Jesus Christ.  He is the true God and eternal life.

 

Luke5:8

But when Simon Peter saw [the catch of fish], he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, “Go away from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man!”


Posted by Elmer E. Ewing

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