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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

When my life crashed and burned, one of the strangely wrapped gifts that came to me was the discovery of just how much of my identity had been firmly rooted in what others thought of me and how I could perform. (And no, that didn’t feel much like a gift at first.) … I was “leaving home” and looking for a sense of security in my marriage, my intact family, and how others perceived me as a leader. When all of those things were shaken, it left me scrambling for solid ground. It makes perfect sense for us to want a healthy marriage, a cohesive family, and respect. Yet we don’t find our center of gravity in things that can be taken from us due to our actions or those of others. We find it in the unchanging love of God.

—Beth Taulman Miller, What Loss Can Teach Us: A Sacred Pathway to Growth and Healing (Upper Room Books, 2021)

Today’s Question

What practices help you remember that your identity is found in the unchanging love of God? Join the conversation.

Today’s Scripture

We have known and have believed the love that God has for us. God is love, and those who remain in love remain in God and God remains in them.
—1 John 4:16 (CEB)

Prayer for the Week

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.
Submit your prayer to The Upper Room.

Something More

If you are interested in this week’s featured book, What Loss Can Teach Us: A Sacred Pathway to Growth and Healing, visit The Upper Room online store and use promo code EVERY15 to receive a 15% discount. Offer ends February 28, 2021.

Lectionary Readings

(Courtesy of Vanderbilt Divinity Library)

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

5 Comments

  • Lou Posted February 6, 2021 6:14 am

    A wonderful reminder today that all we are and all we have is not rooted in anything or anyone here on earth but we are rooted in the love of God and we have our being because of Him.
    Prayers for several friends who are struggling with health issues and friends dealing with health concerns of aging parents. Several concerns on my mind this morning that hopefully will be resolved in the next few days.
    Prayers for all here at the UR- many who are struggling in various ways – God knows our needs and He is with us.
    Prayers for all dealing with the extreme cold and winter conditions – especially those without adequate shelter. God Bless –

  • robert moeller Posted February 6, 2021 6:41 am

    Not sure what practices help me remember that my identity is found in the unchanging love of God, but these verses from Psalm 139, For it was you who formed my inward parts; you knit me together in my mother’s womb.14 I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; that I know very well.15 My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret intricately woven in the depths of the earth.16 Your eyes beheld my unformed substance.
    In your book were written all the days that were formed for me, when none of them as yet existed.
    reassure me of this truth.
    With great anticipation I look forward to today’s counseling session and meeting friends. I hope I don’t expect too much, but do get off to a good start with counseling.
    Hopeful for good news, progress at least, for Julie and Marcy whose circumstances need , require many prayers.
    Marker lights, hung on the rear of a train to signal its presence, and car end safety gates arrived, The gates are installed in the cafê car and diner, Need the red-yellow-green lenses for the marker lights before they can be installed. More snow yesterday and predicted for tomorrow, it’s becoming a more normal feeling winter. Lunar New Year, a very big celebration for Koreans and Chinese, is coming and the Super Bowl is tomorrow. ZOOM worship in the morning with a guest pastor and Bible study Tuesday looking at verses from a recent devotional. Both the virus and the vaccine are
    in the news. 5,000 died in a single day, but 1.3 million are being vaccinated every day. The tide will turn. Thank You.Lord.

  • Julie Posted February 6, 2021 8:15 am

    I have no such practices and in fact find this idea one that I have not internalized. Seeing the concept so starkly put in print brings the concept into the light and into my consciousness.
    I will be meeting with the lawyer Tuesday via phone as that is the only means of communication used during the pandemic. Until then I am working on quelliing my fears by focusing on God as well as the lawyer’s email stating she had found case precident that can be used to refute the use of the document. I am also aware that he tried to find a lawyer for 2 years who would take his case and never found one would represent him if he insisted on trying to use the document. I am praying and trying to trust but it is difficult. So much is at stake.
    Prayers for Robert, Erich and the counselor, may all be guided by the Lord as they seek a means of reconciling a father and son relationship that is strained.
    Prayers for Lou and all of those on her heart, may all find relief from pain, illness and burdens.
    Prayers for Ally, may her eye drops help her eyes to heal completely and her vision to clear. May David’s mood continue to improve and may Rachel be released from the hospital this weekend.
    Prayers for Jill and her students, may the rest of the semester be just as positive as this past week.

  • Julie Posted February 6, 2021 8:18 am

    I almost forgot… today’s UR Devotional was written by Mary! I wrote her a comment telling her we miss her and how to access the New Every Morning reflection. She even had additional comments and related that she is learning to be patient, still tutoring and has recently taken up candle making and acrylic painting!

  • Jill Posted February 6, 2021 10:29 am

    The community at my church is a great support in this area – constantly bringing back to the forefront that I am His beloved! Other things fall away, but He remains. Our salvation secure because of Christ’s sacrifice. Always encouraged to re-focus, eyes on Him.
    More brilliant sunshine despite stark temperatures and wind chills. I am thrilled to attend my god-daughter’s last home game today. So grateful to have a ticket. My friend also got three tickets so her grandparents can attend. It will be good, in so many ways, to be there. I will also do a few quick errands as I have a few things I need to pick up. Very minimally have I been going to stores. But – a few needs have arisen this week – so I will dart in and out a two stores before the game. Our “spring” tennis season began last night. It was good to be back on the courts, having not played in 2 months.
    Robert, praying this counselor will be able to provide wisdom and direction.
    Good to hear of Mary. Thanks for sharing with us, Julie.

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