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.

To Fall Into Your Hands--Jan. 23, 2011

Gracious God, our wisdom and our knowledge lead us astray.
In our hearts we say, “I am, and besides me there is no one.”
Then evil has come upon us, and we cannot charm it away.

We may decide it is a fearful thing to fall into your hands—
you are King, robed in majesty and girded with strength.

Still, the man who had lain ill for thirty-eight years did
not think it a terrible thing to fall into the hands of Jesus.
He was healed! (But then he had no illusions of grandeur.)

Lectionary Readings
Ps. 67; 150; 46; 93
Isa. 47:1-15
Heb. 10:19-31
John 5:2-18

Selected Verses
Ps. 93:1a-b
The LORD is king, he is robed in majesty;
the LORD is robed, he is girded with strength.

Isa. 47:10
You felt secure in your wickedness;
you said, “No one sees me.”
Your wisdom and your knowledge
led you astray,
and you said in your heart,
“I am, and there is no one besides me.”

Heb. 10:31
It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

John 5:8-9a
Jesus said to [the man who had been ill for thirty-eight years], “Stand up, take your mat and walk.” At once the man was made well, and he took up his mat and began to walk.
Posted by Elmer E. Ewing

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