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.


You Turn Us Back--July 9, 2011

You turn us back,
eventually back to dust.

Every day, you turn us to go the other way,
the way of repentance that leads to life,
repentance as we believe your good news.

You turn us back, and you save us
from the paw of the lion,
from the paw of the bear.

Lectionary Readings
Ps. 63; 149; 125; 90
1 Sam. 17:31-49
Acts 11:1-18
Mark 1:14-28

Selected Verses
Ps. 90:3
You turn us back to dust,
      and say, “Turn back, you mortals.”

1 Sam. 17:37a
David said, “The LORD, who saved me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear, will save me from the hand of this Philistine.”

Acts 11:18b
And [the apostles and the believers who were in Judea] praised God, saying, “Then God has given even to the Gentiles the repentance that leads to life.”

Mark 1:14-15
Now after John was arrested, Jesus came to Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God, and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near; repent, and believe in the good news.”
Posted by Elmer E. Ewing

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