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New every morning is your love, great God of light, and all day long you are working for good in the world. Stir up in us desire to serve you, to live peacefully with our neighbors and all your creation, and to devote each day to your Son, our Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.

"A Liturgy for Morning Prayer," Upper Room Worshipbook

Used by permission from the Book of Common Worship, © 2018 Westminster John Knox Press. All rights reserved. This prayer appears in “A Liturgy for Morning Prayer” in Upper Room Worshipbook.

 

Today’s Reflection

What a relief that God’s reality and trustworthiness does not depend on our feelings. And God can be trusted with all our emotions and all our hungers, pains, fears, and doubts. The reason we are called to wait on God during Advent is because God always shows up. While we wait on God, we can lean into the believing community that trusts with us and for us. Hope and belief can be shared within the body of Christ.

—Enuma Okoro, Silence and Other Surprising Invitations of Advent (Upper Room Books, 2012)

Today’s Question

What support do you need from others as you wait on God? Join the conversation.

Today’s Scripture

By speaking the truth with love, let’s grow in every way into Christ, who is the head. The whole body grows from him, as it is joined and held together by all the supporting ligaments. The body makes itself grow in that it builds itself up with love as each one does its part.
—Ephesians 4:15-16 (CEB)

Prayer for the Week

As we wait, Transforming God, prepare our hearts to receive you. Amen.
Submit your prayer to The Upper Room.

Something More

The Two-Year Academy for Spiritual Formation invites you to embark on a transformative journey of faith. Over the course of two years, you’ll gather each quarter for five-day sessions of retreat-style learning, worship, and reflection. Guided by world-class faculty and nurtured within a community of seekers, you’ll explore practices that nourish your spirit and that help you live a more God-focused life. Learn more here.

Lectionary Readings

  • Micah 5:2-5a
  • Luke 1:46b-55 or Psalm 80:1-7
  • Hebrews 10:5-10
  • Luke 1:39-45, (46-55)

Read the lectionary texts courtesy of Vanderbilt Divinity Library here.

Looking for lectionary-based resources? Learn more about The Upper Room Disciplines.

3 Comments

  • robert moeller Posted December 18, 2024 6:02 am

    I don’t know what support i need from others as i wait on God. This is a tough question for me,
    Thank You, Lord,for Your ever presence.

  • April Posted December 18, 2024 7:24 pm

    I have found art this year that has supported me and enlarged my understanding of Christmas. I started with an Advent book of art pictures that explained the concept that the artist was expressing with their drawing. That helped me see aspects I never considered , such as the midwives that attended Mary, the background of the room of Mary’s home, and how Elizabeth knelt before Mary as she knew her baby would announce Mary’s baby. And then I found more art works here on our site!! Scroll down from reading the scriptures and there are links to Vanderbilt art that relate to the scriptures. Some are the same as in my book! I look forward to looking at this site in the future and see art flowing from the readings.
    Blessings and prayers for all as we wait and prepare.

  • April Posted December 18, 2024 7:28 pm

    Below the Lectionary readings, not the Scripture . Click on the red highlight link to take you to Vanderbilt Divinity Library.

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