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.

January 18, 2007

I. Readings
Psalms 27, 36, 80
Isaiah 45:5-17
Ephesians 5:15-33
Mark 4:21-34

II. Selections
Psalm 80:19
Restore us, O LORD God of hosts;
let your face shine, that we may be saved.

Isaiah 45:11b-12a
Will you question me about my children
or command me concerning the work of my hands?
I made the earth,
and created humankind upon it ...

Ephesians 5:15-16
Be careful then how you live, not as unwise people but as wise, making the most of the time, because the days are evil.

Mark 4:26-27
[ Jesus] also said, "The kingdom of God is as if someone would scatter seed on the ground, and would sleep and rise night and day, and the seed would sprout and grow, he does not know how. ... "

III. Meditation: Restore us

Restore us, O God, and let your light shine, that we may be saved.

The days, it seems, are evil; and we must be careful how we live-
not as unwise people, but as wise, making the most of our time.

But how can we be wise? We do not know even how to ask you questions.
You made the earth and created humankind upon it-our wisdom is nothing.

Night and day, while we sleep and rise, you scatter your seed on the ground.
The seeds sprout and grow; your kingdom flowers, catching us all unawares.

Restore us, O God; let your light shine, that we may be saved.

Posted by Elmer E. Ewing

No comments:

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)