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.

February 13, 2007

I. Readings
Psalms 30, 86, 123
Isaiah 63:7-14
1 Timothy 1:18-2:15
Mark 11:12-26

II. Selections
Psalm 30:3
O LORD, you brought up my soul from Sheol,
restored me to life from among those gone down to the Pit.

Isaiah 63:14a
Like cattle that go down into the valley,
the spirit of the LORD gave them rest.

1 Timothy 1:19b
By rejecting conscience, certain persons have suffered shipwreck in the faith ...

Mark 11:19
And when evening came, Jesus and his disciples went out of the city.

III. Meditation: Up from the Pit

When we have ignored our conscience
and our faith has suffered shipwreck,
you have brought up our souls
from the Pit, restored us to life.

As Jesus after a strenuous day
took his disciples out of the city to rest,
as cattle that go down into the valley find rest,
show us when to shake off our stress and rest in you.

Posted by Elmer E. Ewing

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