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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

Elizabeth Mae Magill, author of Five Loaves, Two Fish, Twelve Volunteers, says she wasn’t handling the COVID quarantine well—until one day when a woman in need called her. This phone call made her realize that she could find God by helping others.


 

Today’s Reflection

We practice imperfect prayer in a fallen world. We can’t escape that fact. It’s one of the reasons the Bible teaches that a new heaven and a new earth will be necessary for God to repair life from the destructive effects of the Fall. Until then, sickness and sorrow, pain and death, will be part of the picture—and no amount of prayer will stop their effects every time. … If I knew everything, I could select when, how, and for whom to pray. But since I don’t, my call is to pray the Lord’s Prayer at all times—and to believe that this prayer never falls on deaf divine ears.

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

Today’s Question

During difficult times, who helps you believe that God hears your prayers? Join the conversation.

Today’s Scripture

Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but that very Spirit intercedes with sighs too deep for words.
—Romans 8:26 (NRSV)

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.

7 Comments

  • Marcy Posted May 30, 2020 6:24 am

    During difficult times, who helps you believe that God hears your prayers?

    That would be several sources for me. The members of this family at New Every Morning help me by praying for me when I am most in need and encouraging me to trust in God’s perfect hearing by their example. (Thank you, Julie and Robert!)

    My Pastor is also instrumental in convincing me God is hearing my prayers. She calls me once a week and is a wellspring of hope and faith when I am asking for guidance.

    And last, but certainly not least, the Holy Spirit, Who dwells within me, teaching me how to love myself as well as others. Our Triune God is all about Love.

    Please pray that I can get in to the hospital schedule next week to have my legs scanned. They have been extremely painful for no reason all week. Wednesday evening, my feet and legs swelled alarmingly. Thursday, the doctor’s office made a mistake when I called so I didn’t speak to my primary until yeterday afternoon. I am wearing compression stockings and Roxy is coming in on her own to help me get them on today. My doctor suspects DVT, due to previous problems. I truly hope not, but it makes sense.

    Praying for you all: Jill, Julie, Ally, Robert, Rick, Lou, April, Andrea and all who are reading only and not commenting. Praying for all in the BALCONY and beyond. Our Father knows your concerns.

    Let us continue to praise God for all His blessings…..and for hearing our prayers!

    And these three remain: Faith, Hope and Love; and the greatest of these is LOVE!
    🙏❤🙏❤🙏 ❤🐱❤🐈❤ 🎼🎶🎵🎹🎵🎶🎼

    • Andrea Posted May 30, 2020 11:39 am

      Marcy, I pray for expedited medical attention for the issue with your legs. I am grateful you have returned to the circle of commenters here at New Every Morning.

  • robert moeller Posted May 30, 2020 6:28 am

    God’s actions tell me that God is always there and has both helped and answered prayer. Thank You Lord.

    Continued prayers for the UR family, “the Bible teaches that a new heaven and a new earth will be necessary for God to repair life from the destructive effects of the Fall. Until then, sickness and sorrow, pain and death, will be part of the picture—and no amount of prayer will stop their effects every time.” God’s will be done.

  • Jill Posted May 30, 2020 7:04 am

    The Spirit within urges me to continue communication, to cry out for Presence, to be mindful to keep seeking His will. And those around me, both physically and here, on our virtual balcony. His creation shouts of His faithfulness, as do His people.
    Julie – I believe your best defense regarding the virus entering your home is your awareness and caution – being vigilant to keep things as clean and disinfected as possible. May Our Father protect you and Megan.
    Ally – I am grateful David has agreed to a little help, regarding the pills. So many people struggle with “giving into” this need for help, and yet – I believe this help is another provision of God. May God continue to grant you both wisdom and deep love for this path.
    Dad and I got in our round of golf yesterday morning, pausing maybe ten minutes for a some rain to pass through. Cooler this morning, but the sunshine is abundant. There will be six of us meeting to play tennis this morning at a local park. My god son’s baseball is starting – maybe tomorrow. This will be enjoyable – sitting outside and watching him play. I finished the last of my grading yesterday afternoon. Some virtual on-line meetings next week, but otherwise done. I cleaned up my workspace. Starting to feel like summer.

  • Julie Posted May 30, 2020 8:46 am

    My faith assures me that God hears me, no matter the eventual outcome. I know I am heard and that is comforting in itself. This level of faith has been developed in no small part through my joining this group of faith filled frineds.
    Prayers for Marcy and her leg issues. Blessings for Roxy for spending her personal time to help Marcy, may God bless her. Prayers for the company of our dear fur babies who know when we need them most. I have had DVTs and I know the pain, I pray you receive aid ASAP.
    Prayers for Robert, for his safety and his sage council.
    Prayers for Jill as she continues to resume more of her normal activites. May she remain safe and healthy, Lord.
    Prayers for Ally and David, may David find respite from his suffering with the medication and may Ally find respite this weekend from her many burdens andresponsibities.
    The problem I was attempting to relate is that I do not know how to keep Megan and I safe from infection when he returns. H will have been on a plane, in a hotel, on a beach and in restaurants. All of these are very high risk for infection. I already Lysol any surface h touches or I use something to provide a barrier between my hand and the surface. But after h comes home, how do I keepp things like bathrooms and showers free of germs? H already complains about my spraying and restrictions keeping him 6 ft from us.
    Prayers, thank you and good health dear UR

    • Andrea Posted May 30, 2020 9:26 am

      Julie, speak to your lawyer and doctor. I believe you have grounds legally for an injunction against h returning to your house.

  • Andrea Posted May 30, 2020 9:24 am

    Good morning, UR friends. I have been babysitting my grandson a lot in recent weeks, overnights at our house. My prayers are with you and all for whom you pray.
    Lowell and I in the Minneapolis- St. Paul metro area, in an outer suburb.. My daughter, SIL and grandson live in Minneapolis less than a mile from riot hot spots. My sister lives in St. Paul and there was liirong a block from the condo she lives in.
    I ask for your prayers for George Floyd’s family and for the people of our beautiful Twin Cities. And prayers for those who try to mediate and calm the anger. Many businesses have been burnt to the ground. There are rumors that professional agitators are involved. The National Guard has been employed and President Trump has threatened to send military troops.
    My daughter and SIL want to stay in their house despite my encouragement to come stay with us. My grandson was already stressed, before the mayhem broke out, and now the nights are filled with helicopters overhead. My daughter and SIL are too absorbed with work issues to recognize my grandson’s signs of stress.
    I pray for other areas of the US where tensions are rising in response to George Fkiyd’s death.
    Blessings and thank you for your prayers.
    Thank you

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