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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.

 

Words of Hope During COVID-19

Steve Doughty, author of To Walk in Integrity, tells how listening for God’s call has helped him stay connected to God during COVID-19. God often calls to us out of uncertainty and pain, he says. May listening for God’s call also help you find peace.

 

Today’s Reflection

Every “why?” passage in the Bible indicates that the person or group did not understand; they were living with mystery and had to pray in the midst of it. In fact, they wove why? into their praying. … When we ask why in our prayers, we have somehow recognized that we are permitted to bring every question, every issue, every confusion, and every struggle to God. We may not understand what’s going on, but God knows that we cannot pray authentically unless we can honestly express every thought and emotion.

—Steve Harper, Talking in the Dark: Praying When Life Doesn’t Make Sense (Upper Room Books, 2007)

Today’s Question

What honest thoughts and emotions do you need to express to God today? Join the conversation.

Today’s Scripture

LORD, you have examined me.
You know me.
There isn’t a word on my tongue, LORD,
that you don’t already know completely.

—Psalm 139:1, 4 (CEB)

Prayer for the Week

God! Please hurry to my rescue!
Yahweh, come quickly to my side!
—from Psalm 70
Submit your prayer to The Upper Room.

Something More

No matter what we are feeling —distress, trust, anger, or delight— we find the words of the Psalms accompany us into God’s presence. Pray with the Psalms.

Lectionary Readings

(Courtesy of Vanderbilt Divinity Library)

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

4 Comments

  • Jill Posted May 27, 2020 5:21 am

    What I can bring to God today, it utter honesty, is how weary I am of seeing those around me hurting. I ache for those who have lost their family member and friend to suicide. How could such a vibrant, God-loving person be stretched to the ultimate conclusion that she must end her life, leaving her husband of 34 years – a couple who people would think had the world by the string. To see the utter disbelief in her friends faces Sunday, their grasping to find any reasonable explanation. O Father – we dare to ask “WHY?” And – how do we move forward? What are we to learn from this? To stay in conversation longer, to be on the lookout for hints of despair. O Father – comfort her loved ones, come so very near to her husband and shelter him. Guide him as he makes decisions concerning their business, his future.
    Thank You, Lord, for hearing our prayers.

  • Julie Posted May 27, 2020 8:39 am

    God knows my whys. During the dark days of the Reynaud’s, prior to diagnosis, I cried out to Him often with “why Lord, why!.” Now the whys center around my home life. But I have grown, I say the words “Thy will be done” and sometimes mean them. I try to give up my will and seek His only.
    Prayers for Jill and her friends with aching sorrow filled hearts. What I would say that we are very good at hiding the internal turmoil. Those that reach the decision to act are likely suffering a mental illness caused by chemical imbalances that could probably be corrected with medicines and/or counselling. This is of little consolation I know, but it is no one’s inattention that contributed or allowed it to happen.
    Prayers for Robert. The UR Devotional today was by a Korean pastor who immigrated to the US and has been a pastor here. It was moving and insightful.
    Prayers for Ally and David, may both grow strong through God, tharapy and help of others. I love to hear about your kitties as we are so obviously besotted with our kitties. How is your baby with the pancreas issue? We have Tazzie on a fat free diet to put less stress on his pancreas.
    Prayers, thank you and good health dear UR

  • robert moeller Posted May 27, 2020 10:38 am

    Not sure I ask “why” very often. I take life as it comes and ask God for help when I’m overcome, over loaded. God has seen me through. Read today’s UR devotional. I understand the Korean pastor’s story.
    When was young American missionaries went to Korea, now we are in need of them here. George’s eyes were opened.

    Oh how we need God (Father,Son, and Holy Spirit)! How evident it is. Thankfully God is not far off, hard to reach, and always ready to help. All that is asked is faith.

    Staying cool in a for NH heat wave with temps in the low 90s. Better prepared than last year, staying cool with AC in place.

    God is with you wherever you are, may your needs, concerns be met and your praise and thanksgiving heard. Thank You, Lord

  • Ally Posted May 27, 2020 12:32 pm

    i love how Dr. Harper states that though God knows our feelings and emotions, that God wants us to be honest about our feelings. Today I acknowledge my fears for the world we live in, for our finances, that David may have chronic damage to his health due to virus. I acknowledge my frustrations with various situations and individuals. It is hard sometimes to acknowledge the good amidst all I perceive as bad, so I acknowledge my joy that David is still with me on earth and that he and his daughter have reconciled, and that my sister, brother in-law, and other family members are staying well. I am thankful for our loving, Universal Parent (author Charlotte Bronte’s term for God), who takes our burdens. Our God cannot be anything but faithful.
    Please pray that David’s core strength continues to progress. He wants to do what he used to, but still tires out quickly. I have read research which suggest that COVID 19 can leave survivors with something like chronic fatigue. Please pray that David will return to his previous level of function.
    Jill, my heart hurts for you and your friends as you mourn her passing. I am agreeing with you in prayer. Have mercy, dear Lord. Julie, I pray for your physical comfort and for your home situation. I pray your family will be at peace. Lewis is my baby with pancreatic issues, He is doing well and has had only one acute episode. He eats a low-fat food that also helps kitties with urinary tract issues. He also has chronic respiratory issues due to allergies and needs antibiotics periodically. He is the sweetest critter on this earth. Thank you for asking about him. I lift up all our UR family today. I pray we stay well and that we have ears to hear God’s voice.

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