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.

God of Peace, Not Disorder--April 5, 2022

[From March 20, 2018 archive]

 

God of peace, and not of disorder,

surely you know about all the suffering

in the world—the chaos of war, the disorder 

of hunger and poverty.  We have sought peace,

have pursued it, but there is no peace--only evil. 

 

Can you not deliver us from violence and killing? 

Or is the fault our own?  Restore our saltiness,

and help us be at peace with one another

as we pray and work for peace 

around the world.

 

Lectionary Readings

Ps. 34; 146; 25; 91

Exod. 5:1-6:1

1 Cor. 14:20-33a, 39-40

Mark 9:42-50

 

Selected Verses 

Ps. 34:14

Depart from evil, and do good; 
          seek peace, and pursue it.

 

Exod. 5:22-23

Then Moses turned again to the LORD and said, “O LORD, why have you mistreated this people?  Why did you ever send me?  Since I first came to Pharaoh to speak in your name, he has mistreated this people, and you have done nothing at all to deliver your people.”

 

1 Cor. 14:33a

…for God is a God not of disorder but of peace.

 

Mark 9:50

“…Salt is good; but if salt has lost its saltiness, how can you season it?  Have salt in yourselves, and be at peace with one another.”  [Jesus to the twelve]


Posted by Elmer E. Ewing

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