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.

A Sign from Heaven--Feb. 6, 2019


God of grace and glory,
forgetting that we are children
of the promise, we want to test you;
so we ask you for a sign from heaven.

To bind up our wounds,
to heal our broken hearts,
you gave us your Servant--
crushed for our iniquities and
wounded for our transgressions.
Forgive us, we need no other sign!

Lectionary Readings
Ps. 96; 147:1-11; 132; 134
Isa. 52:13-53:12
Gal. 4:21-31
Mark 8:11-26

Selected Verses
Ps. 147:3
[The LORD] heals the brokenhearted,
          and binds up their wounds. 

Isa. 53:5
But [your servant] was wounded for our transgressions,
          crushed for our iniquities;
upon him was the punishment that made us whole,
          and by his bruises we are healed. 

Gal. 4:28
Now you, my friends, are children of the promise, like Isaac.

Mark 8:11
The Pharisees came and began to argue with [Jesus], asking him for a sign from heaven, to test him. 

Posted by Elmer E. Ewing

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