Today’s Reflection
HOW DO WE RECEIVE Christ’s presence today? We choose it. We respond to our life experiences, and we ask for Christ’s presence in our lives. Christ never coerces us but waits for our consent. When we give it, no matter how tentative or faulty, he communicates and communes with us in very personal yet profound ways. Christ comes to us with love, acceptance, grace, and goodness.
– Daniel Vestal
Being the Presence of Christ: A Vision for Transformation
From pages 17-18 of Being the Presence of Christ: A Vision for Transformation by Daniel Vestal. Copyright © 2008 by Daniel Vestal. All rights reserved. Used by permission of Upper Room Books. http://bookstore.upperroom.org/ Learn more about or purchase this book.
Today’s Question
Remember a time when you have chosen Christ. How has Christ met you in personal and profound ways? Share your thoughts.
Today’s Scripture
Be angry but do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, and do not make room for the devil.
Ephesians 4:26-27, NRSV
This Week: pray for students starting back to school. Submit your prayer to The Upper Room Living Prayer Center or share it in the comment section.
Did You Know?
In need of prayer? The Upper Room Living Prayer Center is a 7-day-a-week intercessory prayer ministry staffed by trained volunteers. Call 1-800-251-2468 or visit The Living Prayer Center website.
This week we remember: Ignatius of Loyola (August 8).
Lectionary Readings
(Courtesy of Vanderbilt Divinity Library)
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10 Comments
It is absolutely amazing to experience the peace which passeth understanding, yet it surely comes upon surrender. In the Fall when I was struggling with my PsA, especially the fatigue aspect of it – I finally came to the point of saying to God – ok, if I don’t get a minute of sleep at night, I know that you will give me the energy and mental acuity to get thru till 1:45 (when my last class ended). And, surely – He did. Every day. And there were days when I was lying down on my classroom floor at 1:46. But, He desired me to trust Him, through the long, sleepless nights, through all the symptoms I was experiencing. And, of course, He was faithful. And – I had experienced a measure of His Peace before…but nothing like this. Thank You, Father.
Grateful for a very good rain yesterday afternoon and evening. Grateful for golf with a lady from my small group – we got off the course about five minutes before the rain arrived. We heard the rumbles of thunder the last couple of holes and saw lightning off in the distance on the last hole. Grateful for her constancy in praying for my mom and sending me texts to boost my spirits.
Andrea – praying for your daughter’s household, your sweet little grandson. Robert – praying Annaliese’s pain management is effective and for positive news for Erich’s job.
It is always a blessing to have a newcomer here at the UR. Welcome Glenn! Through your friend God guided you here. Thank You, Lord.
Thankful for the news from Andrea about her trip with daughter and grandson to Lake Superior. Prayers for guidance, rest from a good night’s sleep, easing of tension, and the well being of all three of you.
Thankful Jill has a helpful counselor, is able to talk and share with her Dad, is such a support for her Mom and Dad, and recovered well from the PsA she had. God most certainly helped you through that tough time.
Prayers for Julie, her recovery from surgery, her hands and foot, the uncertainty she feels, and a resolution to that brings reassurance that all will be well. in God’s hands.
Yes, Glenn, life is not fair, but with God there is always a way and that way is a good one. God is good all the time. I am of the belief that those who post here frequently are of that same opinion. it can, may, take an entire life time to come to that conclusion and for it to happen, but happen it will. It’s in God’s plan for all who trust, believe.
Prayers for Connie and her husband, God’s peace be with you. Yes there are times of the year that are tougher than others, God helps us through them, and I believe that you have been helped Thank You, Lord.
I’m with you Betsy wishing your daughter and all teachers, students, parents, support staff, and administrators a safe, productive, and positive school year.
God’s peace to you and your sister.
Thankful that Anneliese has some help from the epidural shot she received.
Erich should know Monday if he has a job, other jobs are on the list if it doesn’t work out. Thankful for a wonderful day yesterday, had a good trip with my son, we both saw things we wanted to see, and the weather was terrific. A good meal at the end of the day and a good night’s sleep. Thank You, Lord.
Prayers of thanks for Jill’s recovery from various symptoms of PsA. May this school year be free of these stressors as well. I pray Gloria finds You and the peace You offer.
Prayers for Robert, Erich and Anneliese. I pray Erich discovers You and therefore seeks Your will for his life. I pray Anneliese is given relief from her pain. May Robert continue to support his loved ones as well as his fellow UR family members.
Prayers for Andrea, her daughter and grandson. May Andrea shine Your light in her daughter’s life and may her grandson be safe physically and emotionally.
Prayers for Connie and may she have only good memories this week.
Prayers for Mary and her parents.
Prayers for Marcy. I pray she is doing better.
Prayers for Glenn and thank you Lord for working out a way for Glenn to find us. Wee will shoow Him Your love as You direct our words and thoughts.
I am going to try to find a job. Have no idea how to go about it since my fingers are so messed up. But my brain is not and I pray that someone somewhere will need what God had given me.
Prayers for and thank you so much to all of the UR family
Thanks dear Julie!
May you find a suitable job, Julie!
Blessings!
Thank you, Jill and Robert. It is so good to come to this space and share one’s heart, knowing prayer warrior friends will wrap prayers around one’s prayer requests.
I felt Christ with us throughout our three days at Lake Superior: the quiet times together, the beauty of the lake, the closeness to my daughter, the joy of a three year old boy; the connection to places and memories of trips my daughter and I took to Lake Superior when she was little. Thanks be to God.
May my daughter and her husband find guidance in parenting their beautiful, intelligent, sensitive three year old son. May my daughter get sufficient rest at night. May I be guided in supporting and role-modeling to them. May my husband and I remain healthy and strong to be present to my grandson for years to come. He needs us.
Prayers for Jill’s health and energy as she returns to school, for her mother’s restless spirit to find acceptance in having cancer and trust in God’s goodness, for her father’s support and health, and for her sister and their relationship; for Robert’s strength as he gives boundless support to both Erich and Anneliese, for Erich’s job search, and for their potential move to a new area; and Anneliese’s pain relief; for Connie and her husband, for the difficult Mondays, for consolation, for strength; for Lou’s support in her new reality and for her children as they find their way in their young adulthood; for Mary’s support at her job and for her parents and students; for Marcy’s relief from pain and for her re-gaining her health; for Julie’s hands and feet, for strength through the divorce process, and for an excellent divorce settlement, for support as she transitions through uncertainty to a new reality; for Betsy, her daughter as she begins teaching this school year, for her husband, brother, and for Grace’s support as a widow; for Pam, April, Glenn, and those whose names I do not recall, and for all UR visitors. May you know the peace of Christ.
Thanks dear Andrea!
Glad to hear that you had a good time with your daughter and grandson. May God strenghten your daughter and grant her and her husband wisdom in parenting their child. May you and your husband continue to have good health and many happy years with your daughter and grandson.
Blessings!
God has always been beside me in every joy and trial. He is with me still and one day I will see Him face to face. For now, I will continue to “tell the story”.
What wonderful thoughts brought forth today. I marvel at all of you and thank you for them.
Thankful for:
EVERYTHING and EVERYBODY
I read Daily Reflections before leading worship this morning. Christ came in the guise of a grandmother and two small grandsons, adding to the family with a small son who came a month ago – to this congregation of elderly people. What joy to receive this change to our routine and new insights, the power of grandmas to share faith with their grandsons. And at the end of the service Christ appeared again in the guise of a man seeking help with rent and food for a couple of days. We are blessed indeed.
Andrea, et all, so pleased to hear everyone in good spirits! I, too have had to guard my tongue with my daughter raising my granddaughter, but now she is expecting ANOTHER and it’s the FIRST BOY of ALL the grandchildren from ALL of “OUR ” children and only the SECOND boy in our entire family in 30 years!
Congratulations Pam and praise God!
Blessings!
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