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.

When No One Listens--March 16, 2022

[From March 19, 2014 archive]

 

God, sometimes no one listens to my words; 

no one pays attention to my sighing. 

 

Sometimes I even blame you for not listening 

or caring how deep my sorrows are. 

 

Worse, I blame you for my troubles—at least 

for not helping me chase them away. 

 

In such times, remind me, dear God—it is I 

who have not been listening to you. 

 

I am rocky ground; I haven't let your seeds 

take root in me to survive hardship. 

 

In the name of Jesus Christ and in your Spirit, 

wash, sanctify, and justify me, O God. 

 

Lectionary Readings

Ps. 5; 147:1-11; 27; 51 

Gen. 42:18-28 

1 Cor. 5:9-6:11 

Mark 4:1-20 

 

Selected Verses 

Ps. 5:1 

Give ear to my words, O LORD;
          give heed to my sighing. 

 

Gen. 42:28b 

At this [Joseph's older brothers] lost heart and turned trembling to one another, saying, “What is this that God has done to us?” 

 

1 Cor. 6:11b 

But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God. 

 

Mark 4:17 

“…But [plants grown from seeds sown on rocky ground] have no root, and endure only for a while; then, when trouble or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately they fall away.  …” [Jesus, explaining the parable of the sower to his disciples]


Posted by Elmer E. Ewing

No comments:

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)