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.

What You Turn into Goodness--March 9, 2016


Lord Jesus,
turn our eyes to your goodness.
When our goal is to test you,
Lord, you give us no sign,
but you do give us a
manifestation of 
the Spirit for 
the common
good.
And at times
you take what we
intend for harm, and
turn it into the good.
Open our eyes to
your goodness.

Lectionary Readings
Ps. 5; 147:1-11; 27; 51
Gen. 50:15-26
1 Cor. 12:1-11
Mark 8:11-26

Selected Verses
Ps. 27:13
 I believe that I shall see the goodness of the LORD
          in the land of the living.

Gen. 50:20
"…Even though you intended to do harm to me, God intended it for good, in order to preserve a numerous people, as he is doing today.  …"  [Joseph to his brothers]

1 Cor. 12:7
To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.

Mark 8:12
And [Jesus] sighed deeply in his spirit and said, "Why does this generation ask for a sign? Truly I tell you, no sign will be given to this generation."
Posted by Elmer E. Ewing

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