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.

March 13, 2010

In Your Hand

I. Readings
Psalms 43, 149, 31, 143
Genesis 47:27-48:7
1 Corinthians 10:1-13
Mark 7:1-23

II. Selections
Psalm 31:15
My times are in your hand;
deliver me from the hand of my enemies and persecutors.

Genesis 48:5
“…Therefore your two sons, who were born to you in the land of Egypt before I came to you in Egypt, are now mine; Ephraim and Manasseh shall be mine, just as Reuben and Simeon are. … ” [Jacob, as he prepared to bless Joseph’s sons]

1 Corinthians 10:12
So if you think you are standing, watch out that you do not fall.

Mark 7:8
“…You abandon the commandment of God and hold to human tradition.” [Jesus to the Pharisees and scribes]

III. Meditation

God, we abandon your commandments
and hold to human traditions.

We are confident that we are standing,
though we are falling.

Deliver us from enemies without and enemies within;
and hold us, safe from evil, in your hand.

As Reuben and Simeon were yours,
As Moses and David were yours,

As Mary and Paul and all the saints
were yours, make us yours.
Posted by Elmer E. Ewing

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