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 Famine in the Land--Jan. 22, 2022

 [From Jan. 20, 2018 archive]

 

Gracious God, there is a famine in the land. 

We reap that for which we did not labor,

but others labor and do not reap. 

There is a famine in the land. 

 

There is a famine in the land; 

a severe one; people leave their 

homes, reside in other lands as aliens. 

Lord, you have kept count of their tossings,

have put their tears in your bottle, in your record.

 

There is a famine in the land, dear Jesus. 

We approach God through you

and ask God to end it.

 

Lectionary Readings 

Ps. 56; 149; 118; 111

Gen. 12:9-13:1

Heb. 7:18-28

John 4:27-42

 

Selected Verses

Ps. 56:8

You have kept count of my tossings; 
          put my tears in your bottle. 
          Are they not in your record? 

 

Gen. 12:10

Now there was a famine in the land.  So Abram went down to Egypt to reside there as an alien, for the famine was severe in the land.

 

Heb. 7:25

Consequently he is able for all time to save those who approach God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them.

 

John 4:38

“…I sent you to reap that for which you did not labor.  Others have labored, and you have entered into their labor.”  [Jesus to his disciples] 


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