Today’s Reflection
Jesus not only loves us as we are and where we are but also loves us forward. From the lives we’re leading at the moment to the lives we’re called to lead, Jesus loves us too much to leave us where we are. In Jesus’ eyes, we are not, at our core, sinners—though we do sin. For this reason, Jesus often spends time with people who others call “sinners.” Whereas others only see people through the lens of what they’ve done and where they’ve been, Jesus sees who they are, where they’ve been, and who they were created to be. Jesus sees us as we were created to be, and his call to follow him is nothing less than a call to become our truest selves—who we were made to be.
—Matthew Croasmun, Let Me Ask You a Question: Conversations with Jesus (Upper Room Books, 2018)
Today’s Question
What encouragement do you find in knowing that Jesus loves you as you are and loves you forward toward who you are called to be? Join the conversation.
Today’s Scripture
Jesus called the Twelve together and he gave them power and authority over all demons and to heal sicknesses. He sent them out to proclaim God’s kingdom and to heal the sick.
—Luke 9:1-2 (CEB)
Prayer for the Week
Lord,
Give me the patience, focus, and strength to pause, listen, and reflect on what you ask of me. What do you ask of me today?
(Follow today’s prayer with a moment of silence and stillness. Focus on your breath. Repeat the words of the prayer if that helps center you.)
Submit your prayer to The Upper Room.
Something More
Let your life be shaped by the Word. Discover The Upper Room Disciplines.
Lectionary Readings
(Courtesy of Vanderbilt Divinity Library)
Looking for lectionary-based resources? Learn more about The Upper Room Disciplines.
6 Comments
I believe part of His loving us forward is His desiring and enabling us to love others more like He does. The Spirit helps us to see the potential in a person, as opposed to the past of a person. We are called to see the other as one made in the image of God. That is possible, but only with continual drawing on the Spirit’s help.
Finally – I have fast internet! I will see today, as I will hold my classrooms from my house. I hope to have two devices going and be able to do all I could while I was at school. The platform we use for our on-line books crashed yesterday afternoon. I received several emails from students who were unable to log on and access the book to complete an assignment. Thankfully, when I checked this morning, all has been restored. Little bumps we will encounter – and I will reassure my first year students that I will be understanding when these circumstances arise.
It’s crazy to think about what teaching looks like this year, now 28 years into my career. I continue to grow and evolve. May my attitude and effort glorify Him.
Grateful you can teach and students can learn from home, In many urban schools that is not always possible. I wonder how many of my students could have done this. Yes, just as in school, face to face ,there are also problems, so too internet problems will arise, Glad the first glitch was overcome. Teach on! May your attitude and effort glorify God. I came to understand that I was in an urban school for a reason and God helped me on my way. Thank You, Lord.
May all teachers be able to teach and all students be able to learn during this very difficult time. Lord, Your help is desperately needed.
A hymn based on today’s scripture reading.
Luke 9: 1-2
So Send I You (Partial)
So send I you to labor unrewarded,
To serve unpaid, unloved, unsought, unknown,
To bear rebuke, to suffer scorn and scoffing-
So send I you to toil for Me alone.
So send I you to bind the bruised and broken,
O’er wand’ring souls to work, to weep, to wake,
To bear the burdens of a world aweary-
So send I you to suffer for My sake.
So send I you to loneliness and longing,
With heart ahung’ring for the loved and known,
Forsaking home and kindred, friend and dear one-
So send I you to know My love alone.
So send I you to hearts made hard by hatred,
To eyes made blind because they will not see,
To spend, tho’ it be blood, to spend and spare not-
So send I you to taste of Calvary.
E. Margaret Clarkson
Tune: TORONTO (Peterson)
It is encouraging to think that God sees my potential. No earthly being seems to see me as a contributing member of any endeavor. I would like to believe that Jesus is preparing a heart to accept my offers of time and sweat to help their cause.
Prayers of gratitude that Jill has internet that will facilitate her teaching her students. May all have patience with one another and fickle technology.
Prayers for Robert. I send prays for him as he so often overlooks his own needs and gives to and prays for others.
Prayers for Marcy, may God lessen her migraine pain and help the medication to be effective in ending them for now.
Prayers for Ally”s business to grow and David’s health to improve.
Prayers for Rick and Scott’s living arrangement to improve.
Prayers, thank you and stay well dear UR
God has used today’s UR devotional and New Every Morning reading to speak to me today. Yesterday as I talked with a friend via Marco Polo, I could see myself and I was stricken by how I have aged. Gravity seems to have taken over my face. Then today’s UR scripture is 2 Corinthians 4:7-18. V. 16 in particular spoke to me: “Even if our bodies are breaking down on the outside, the person that we are on the inside is being renewed every day. “. Lord, thank you for the reminder that You are working on us, even as we grow older. Jesus loves us enough to not leave us where we are and helps us become who we are meant to be in Christ. I needed this today.
Please pray for my dear friend Hope’s father. His name is Pete. He has some dementia and has resided at a nursing facility for a couple of years. Yesterday, he tested positive for COVID-19. We are believing for healing and full recovery for Mr. Pete. David and I are doing ok. I worry about him being alone and falling. We are thinking he may need to use a cane to give him some stability. He is still thinking about starting talk therapy. I try not to nag him about it. Jill, I give thanks for your fast internet! I admire your flexibility in dealing with the changes. Thank you for the reminder that Jesus not only helps us to see ourselves as he sees us, but to see others as He sees them. Robert, I didn’t know you were a teacher. Teaching is a calling, for sure. Lifting up all teachers as they work through so many challenges in these crazy times to educate and mentor our young folks. Marc, so good to hear from you. Thank you for the hymn. I haven’t heard it in a very long time. To our other regulars: Julie, Andrea, Rick, Lou, April, BJ: praying you are well and hope to see you soon. To the “gallery”: I pray you find here what you are seeking and connect with God. Blessings to all.
That is the encouragement that I need on many days….Jesus loves you as you are and loves you forward toward who you are called to be….when I ponder what I am going to do today or another day, in the future, forever. Knowing that God has a purpose for me is my guiding light and I try to discern what that might be day by day. Today, a neighbor texted to see if we wanted to have take out tonight. She had worked hard all day and didn’t feel like cooking. We had our meal planned, but then I remembered that we had left over stuffed peppers that we were thinking of eating tomorrow. I offered them to her and she was so delighted, you’d have thought I made prime rib. Anyway, I thank God that I had discerned her need and offered what we had. I pray that I might continue to discern what my neighbors are saying everytime.
I pray for Mr. Pete with COVID and I pray that David may continue to recover. When my Mom was not too stead on her feet, she would carry a cane not only to keep her steady but also to remind others to be careful around her, maybe that would work with David? I pray for a successful business for you, Ally, there are so many needing help.
Marcy, so good to read your post of such a lovely hymn. It is new to me, very meaningful. Nice that you and Julie are friends.
Julie, I pray that you will soon find a sweet spot to share your gifts….you have so much to give.
Rick, I think of you as I read the Disciplines each evening. I believe you mentioned that you read them once….if not and it was someone else, I am so sorry, please correct me. I find these short passages are so relevant today even though they were written years ago. Prayers for this respite in your schooling, you will be ready to return and finish strong.
Jill, it sounds like a very successful day with your “friend” fast internet. Makes the world of difference, may the school year be full of learning. I agree with Robert, in that are probably many students do not have fast internet, or any internet/computer and I worry what this year will be for them. May we have caring teachers that can help them stay on track and not fall behind.
Lou, I hold you and your children in my prayers. When children are not in our home, I trust them to God, knowing that He is always a present help.
Here is a poem that our church sent out and that I have referred to several times this week:
The light of God surrounds us;
The love of God enfold us;
The power of God protects us;
The presence of God watches over us;
Wherever we are, God Is!!
Blessings dear UR Family.
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