X

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

If gratitude ushers in healing, how do we come by it? The gift of gratitude, while wonderful, is exactly that — a gift. None of us can will it into being or perform exercises to make it happen. It is a gift of God, pure grace. I do believe, however, that we will finally receive it if we look around, hold ourselves open to it, watch for it without cynicism or bullying of the universe, and long for it as best we can from the place of grief where we find ourselves.

—Roberta C. Bondi, Wild Things: Poems of Grief and Love, Loss and Gratitude (Upper Room Books, 2014)

Today’s Question

How can you become more open to receiving God’s gifts? Join the conversation.

Today’s Scripture

By grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God.
—Ephesians 2:8 (NRSVUE)

Prayer for the Week

Creator God, as you draw us closer to you, draw us closer to each other. Amen.
Submit your prayer to The Upper Room.

Something More

Advent is just around the corner. In Season’s Greetings, twelve vividly imagined letters from long-ago Bible characters who were there for the birth of Jesus speak to the many meanings of Christmas.
Learn more here.

Lectionary Readings

  • Ruth 3:1-5; 4:13-17
  • Psalm 127
  • Hebrews 9:24-28
  • Mark 12:38-44

Read the lectionary texts courtesy of Vanderbilt Divinity Library here.

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

2 Comments

  • robert moeller Posted November 6, 2024 5:36 am

    How can you become more open to receiving God’s gifts? This question is beyond my ability to answer. I am very grateful for the blessings of the day, the gifts of love, hope, mercy, faith, and forgiveness. God’s gifts are greater than I can imagine. As a human I can only comprehend them.
    as God grants me the capability to do so, Thank You, Lord

  • Ally Posted November 6, 2024 6:02 am

    Gratitude. Just sitting with God this morning. , I will be asking God to help me to feel gratitude for the processes. Having a hard time with that this morning. I claim Romans 8:26. Now to find a way forward. Love to all.

Add Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *