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.

God, Make Us Ready--Dec. 19, 2019


God the Father and Christ Jesus our Savior,
power belongs to you.  Be present in our midst,
and renew us in your love, that we may turn to you.
Grant us grace and peace, and make us ready,
ready to be a people prepared for you.

Lectionary Readings
Ps. 18:1-20, 147:12-20; 126; 62
Zeph. 3:14-20
Titus 1:1-16
Luke 1:1-25

Selected Verses
Ps. 62:11-12a
Once God has spoken;
          twice have I heard this:
that power belongs to God,
          and steadfast love belongs to you, O Lord.

Zeph. 3:17
The LORD, your God, is in your midst,
          a warrior who gives victory;
he will rejoice over you with gladness,
          he will renew you in his love;
he will exult over you with loud singing…

Titus 1:4
To Titus, my loyal child in the faith we share:
          Grace and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Savior.

Luke 1:16-17
“…[Your son John] will turn many of the people of Israel to the Lord their God.  With the spirit and power of Elijah he will go before him, to turn the hearts of parents to their children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous, to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.”  [An angel, to Zechariah]

Posted by Elmer E. Ewing

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