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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

I fidget. I futz. I fret.
In my mind I hear “tick, tick, tick.”
Time races on toward its eternal destination—
without me.
Surely there’s more to life than waiting;
surely I didn’t sacrifice my best years for this.

Waste! What a waste this has been!
God, do you see this? God, do you care?
I strain to hear you breathing.
Whisper something to me—anything—
so I won’t sit alone . . .
in the silence . . .

(Months later)

I sit. I stare.

I shush my anxious soul.
I’m becoming accustomed to the quiet.
Thank you, Lord, for teaching me patience. Amen.

—Mary Lou Redding, Prayers for Life’s Ordinary and Extraordinary Moments (Upper Room Books, 2012)

Today’s Question

What might silence teach you about patience? Join the conversation.

Today’s Scripture

Be patient, therefore, beloved, until the coming of the Lord. The farmer waits for the precious crop from the earth, being patient with it until it receives the early and the late rains. You also must be patient. Strengthen your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is near.
—James 5:7-8 (NRSV)

Prayer for the Week

This week, make the reflection for each day your prayer, followed by a moment of silence and listening for the still small voice of the Spirit.
Submit your prayer to The Upper Room.

Something More

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Lectionary Readings

(Courtesy of Vanderbilt Divinity Library)

Epiphany

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

5 Comments

  • Cherie Posted January 6, 2021 5:10 am

    I am waiting in the chaos of memories to turn to the silence of Peace.

  • Julie Posted January 6, 2021 8:19 am

    I am a very patient person. I find it difficult to understand the cell phone generation, those that need a distration or entertainment constantly. I weep for the parents who are scrolling through their phones while their children sit across from them in a restaurant or play at a playground. I was always engaged with Megan when she was a child. She insisted I go through the yubes at the play places with her! That being said, I do need to take more time to sit intentionally with the Lord and listen for and to Him.
    Greeting to Cherie and may the memories become warm and comforting instead of chaotic.
    Prayers for Jill as she begins a new term, may she and her students connect emotionally despite the physical distance.
    Prayers for Marcy, Ally and David, Lou and her family and Robert and his family.

    • Ally Posted January 6, 2021 5:43 pm

      Hello, Julie, I emailed you Saturday. Perhaps I misspelled your address. Ill try again.

  • Ally Posted January 6, 2021 5:42 pm

    God has used Psalm 40 as a bulwark. I waited patiently for the Lord. Today it has been difficult to focus due to the unprecedented events in Washington. Dear Lord, please keep people safe. Let cool heads and justice prevail. Be with the loved ones of the woman who has died. Lord! What is happening? Give us wisdom. Pull us out of the miry clay. Please Lord, we pray for peaceful transition of power. Lord in Your mercy,, hear our prayer. Amen.

  • Jill Posted January 6, 2021 6:59 pm

    This question is striking me as somewhat ironic…as I try to come up with new things, new ways to get my students engaged in this remote environment. Today, with my last class…the class which used to be so good last year, and this year, continues to deteriorate. Today – I posed a question. After a significant pause, I said – “I’ll wait” and continued looking into my camera at them, in silence. Finally, one of the young men, actually the one accused of cheating, unmuted and answered the question…correctly. After we finished that example, we had three problems left. I split them into random breakout rooms – assigned each room one of the problems and told them they had the remaining 25 minutes to work out the problem and they would be responsible for leading the class through the problem on Friday. Hope it doesn’t crash and burn. Of course I had to somewhat bribe them with extra credit points…aye yay yay.
    Sitting in silence with the Lord – I feel like there has been marked improvement in this during my time in the morning. I am working my way through my chronological study Bible…some time in OT and some time in NT. Keeping focus, while currently in Numbers…I recognize afresh why it is aptly named Numbers.
    I must say – my other classes of the day were encouraging. Some good interaction and even getting to see some “light bulb” moments on the screen. Very satisfying.
    Grateful for a leader of dad’s church who spent a few hours with him yesterday afternoon.

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