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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

Can the demon of racism be dislodged in an instant? A Birmingham pastor said yes. While watching a young couple unload their car on the street across from his church, he decided to invite them to his church. Then, halfway across the street, he realized they were Black. In the blink of an eye, he knew the Lord was calling him to minister to precisely that couple—in fact, to all people—not just white people. In that instant, he vowed to start a multicultural church serving the poor, and he kept his vow. . . .

Racism is a pervasive spiritual brokenness. It replicates itself like a deadly virus, infecting legions as it rages through a body. But not even racism stands up to the Lord’s authority.

—Patricia Raybon, “Summer Epiphanies,” The Upper Room Disciplines 2022: A Book of Daily Devotions (Upper Room Books, 2021)

Today’s Question

What can you and other Christians do to fight racism? Join the conversation.

Today’s Scripture

Though there are many of us, we are one body in Christ, and individually we belong to each other.
—Romans 12:5 (CEB)

Prayer for the Week

Dear God, inspire us to always seek you. Help us to fight racism and to demonstrate your love for all people. Amen. Submit your prayer to The Upper Room.

Something More

Participate in our next eCourse based on J. Dana Trent’s book One Breath at a Time: A Skeptics Guide to Christian Meditation. This eCourse will offer basic instruction in five approaches to meditation: breath meditation, lectio divina, centering meditation, loving-kindness meditation, and devotional meditation. Receive a discount of 15% off the original price if you register before June 30, 2022. Register today!

Lectionary Readings

(Courtesy of Vanderbilt Divinity Library)

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

4 Comments

  • robert moeller Posted June 19, 2022 5:57 am

    In Christ there is no East or West, in Him no South or North, but one great fellowship throughout the whole
    wide earth. Words I sang growing up, words shared by Dad with the Korean pastor who married Soo Ok and I.
    Open hearts open minds and practice what you believe God has taught you, love one another as yourself. Thank You, Lord! Celebrate Juneteenth today. It took too long to become a National holiday in the home of the free. Slavery never should have existed. Blessings to all fathers today. Happy Father’s Day!

  • Ally Posted June 19, 2022 9:11 am

    Partner with people of color and ask what we need to do. I think education is crucial so that we can have an inkling of how systemic racism has impacted black people. We have to build relationships and repent. Approach with humility and willingness to listen and learn. Perhaps that is a start.

  • April Posted June 19, 2022 9:24 am

    Happy Father’s Day to all fathers!! how wonderful to set aside a day to celebrate these important people in our lives.

    What can I and other Christians do to fight racism? First of all, I am educating myself. Currently I am reading a book on Genocide and learning that it has been happening during my lifetime without me putting it on the front burner in my prayers. The places where it happened are “not in my backyard”, so I thought, but indeed, we are all a part of God’s world, so everywhere is my backyard. Cambodia, Iraq, Bosnia, Rwanda, Srebrenica, Kosovo are the locations that are described in the book that outlines how this crime came to be identified with a name, Genocide. The questions for today is about Racism but I ponder how alike/different it is than Genocide.
    Many prayers go out to our NEM family and I pray that you all would receive the blessings of God as we have for your faithfulness in lifting us up to our Helper and Healer; Father, Son and Holy Spirit. The weather is cool for 2 more days and then temps will be up to summer time highs. Getting outside is such good medicine, I pray that we may do it everyday and you all too. Stay safe, be blessed.

  • Jill Posted June 19, 2022 7:12 pm

    Christians can lead by example, welcoming people of all races and nationalities into their churches. We can be proactive in working towards equality and unity.
    A nice day today with Becky, Don and dad. As usual, we spent many hours around the card table – fittingly – the dads won.
    I tested Roger again today and his numbers were low again. It is so hard to believe that 4 months ago at this same insulin level his numbers were in the 600s – highest readings ever. And now, three of the four readings were double digits. Makes me wonder if maybe he is in remission? I know, that is probably too optimistic. But, I was told 20% of cats do go into remission. He was pretty grumpy and there was too much activity – so I was only able to get four readings, not the desired seven. But I figure with them being consistently low – that will give the doctor sufficient info.

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