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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

For Mother Teresa, service was not somehow the outcome of prayer or something done when not praying. Serving the poor and opening [one’s] heart to Christ were one and the same. She taught the sisters “to pray while working, doing it for Jesus and doing it to Jesus. This brings a tremendous closeness with him.”

—James C. Howell, Servants, Misfits, and Martyrs: Saints and Their Stories (Upper Room Books, 1999)

Today’s Question

How do your praying and serving enliven one another? Join the conversation.

Today’s Scripture

So then, whenever we have an opportunity, let us work for the good of all, and especially for those of the family of faith.
—Galatians 6:10 (NRSV)

Prayer for the Week

Loving God, I give you thanks for those who have pointed me to you and your love. I give thanks for those who have challenged me to be your hands and feet in the world around me. Give me the confidence and desire to do the same for others, to be an example of faithfulness. Amen.
Submit your prayer to The Upper Room.

Something More

After a significant loss, many people rush to get back a sense of normalcy without allowing themselves time to heal and learn from that loss. Our loving and compassionate God longs to walk with individuals on a transformational journey through loss toward becoming more emotionally and spiritually whole. What Loss Can Teach Us: A Sacred Pathway to Growth and Healing, shows readers that God offers an “on ramp” to the process of tending to their pain. Discover more.

Lectionary Readings

(Courtesy of Vanderbilt Divinity Library)

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

4 Comments

  • robert moeller Posted November 2, 2021 7:35 am

    Need to ponder this question. I do pray at any time the spirit moves me, as I see or hear of a need. Prayer requests from worship , friends are posted on the church email or in friend’s emails. I am paying more attention to them, have my own prayers too. Prayers for NEW members Julie, Jill, Ally&David, Lou, April, Rick, and all who come to this site. Many who posted for quite a while are sorely missed, still remembered. Marcy, Mary in Singapore, Conny, and Betsy come to mind. Continuous prayer is the desire of the Lord. Thank You, Lord. Bible study soon.

  • robert moeller Posted November 2, 2021 7:36 am

    NEM not NEW

  • Julie Posted November 2, 2021 8:30 am

    I do pray as I do other things. I felt guilty, like multitasking was even encroaching on my spiritual life. But for me it has worked well and now I find out Mother Teresa endorses such behavior.
    Much going on here but will catch up later. Will say I had to spend 30 minutes conversing with h as I tried to explain things to him. His Parkinson’s and dementia are rapidly progressing. He is having trouble with simple concepts and his body is constantly in motion.
    Prayers for Ally and David, may God hold them near as they see the urolorigist today. Prayers for Jill as she faces a day of meetings, may they be fruitful and may she have no side effects from her shots. Prayers for Robert and his church laity, may God give them the words to speak and ears open to hearing. Prayers for Marti and her staff. Thank you for your prayers and may God bless all who visit here.

  • Jill Posted November 2, 2021 2:32 pm

    For me, prayer needs to precede service, meaningful intentional service. Of course spontaneous assistance can often occur, and I try to recall later in the day – and be grateful in prayer. My heart attitude needs attention or some service activities end up being me completing things without the right intentions.
    Today – my meeting with my colleague was incredibly fruitful – of course it was. She encouraged what I already had and gave me some things to add. I am grateful and feel like I have a good idea moving forward. Hopefully in these next few days there will be time to get everything typed up, organized and ready to roll. Would love to have this in place before I leave for home Friday afternoon.
    Got my booster shot and flu shot over lunch. So far, so good. The staff had a pot luck breakfast this morning – and it was quite a treat. Our administration was quite considerate and gave us a lot of time to get stuff done, as opposed to meeting after meeting. I think they recognize how some teachers are nearing the end of their ropes.
    I have a google zoom with one of my classes this evening, ahead of their quiz on Thursday. We’ll see if any shows up.

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