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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

CHRIST INVITES US to come and share in an alternative to the anxiety and fear we experience and enact daily. It is as if Christ is saying to us, “Come to the Table of perfect love that casts out all fear and anxiety. Here is more than enough! All the fullness of God is here. When you come to this Table, greed motivated by fear will forever be inappropriate and unnecessary. Repent of it. When you come to this Table, all exclusion, hate, and vengeance must be left in God’s keeping. Come now; come, and count on God’s generosity toward all.” (Gayle Carlton Felton)

—Thomas Porter, Conflict and Communion: Reconciliation and Restorative Justice at Christ’s Table (Discipleship Resources, 2006)

Today’s Question

Can you release your anxiety and fear, and instead, count on God’s generosity? Join the conversation.

Today’s Scripture

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not let them be afraid.
—John 14:27 (NRSV)

Prayer for the Week

O divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console, to be understood as to understand, to be loved as to love.
(From the Peace Prayer of Saint Francis)
Submit your prayer to The Upper Room.

Something More

The Upper Room is a daily devotional magazine published in more than 30 languages and 100 countries around the world. The daily meditations are written by readers of the magazine and others interested in sharing their faith experiences through writing. Learn more.

Lectionary Readings

(Courtesy of Vanderbilt Divinity Library)

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

5 Comments

  • Lou Posted January 29, 2020 7:00 am

    Yes- with God’s help and mercy I try to release my cares and worries to Him each day. I love John 14:27. Prayers and blessings for all who come here today – trusting in Him only is the way. With virus threats, earthquakes, fires, volcanoes and personal storms in our lives- trusting in His mercy and steadfast love is the only way. Prayers for those affected by the global concerns and prayers for Jill, Robert, Julie, Rick, Andrea, April, Marcy, Mary, Connie, Sara, Betsy, Gail, BJ, Rusty, and all of those whose names escape me this morning. God is near-

  • robert moeller Posted January 29, 2020 7:49 am

    Thank you, Lou. Yes, I have taken many concerns, worries, my problems to the Lord and thankfully I have felt God’s support and made my way. I’ve given Caesar what is his due. Very thankful that was possible and there is a refund. It will be helpful toward new needs. Thankful that my slow to build/finish steam locomotive model has the needed part and progress is being made. Erich makes progress setting up his business as well. I too pray for Jill, Julie, Rick, Andrea, April, Marcy, Mary, Connie, Sara, Betsy, Gail, BJ, Rusty, and all who come to the Upper Room. No word yet on Mikie who had heart surgery Monday. Prayers for guidance and common sense everywhere and especially in this election year.

  • Jill Posted January 29, 2020 7:55 am

    Yes, Lou, God is near – may we dwell in His presence. When I was reading the above…I initially read “table of perfect love” as “Come to the table to perfect love”…perfect – as in to perfect, to hone. And, maybe this too, can be a thought. When considering the communion table, and laying down strife and conflict, we do need to perfect/hone our love, our desires to His Love and Will.
    Yes – in His Presence I am able to unburden myself to Him…to lay my concerns, my cares, my dissonance at His feet.
    To this prayerful group – I know you have been praying for my dad and I deeply treasure that. If you could pray specifically – he was in a minor, very minor automobile accident a week ago. The sheriff was pretty disrespectful of him and ended up citing him (wrongly, from what I can gather). Dad has been thrown for a loop by this, trying to get his car repaired, deciding on whether to fight this in court, dealing with insurance. He confided in me yesterday, after telling me that he is not going to fight it, that he is missing mom a lot and is feeling old. That breaks my heart. Dad is a positive, upbeat, glass totally full and overflowing person. And he is belly low right now. He can’t stop thinking about the accident and the interaction which followed. He is disheartened and sad that he can’t talk to mom about it. If you could hold his tender, heavy heart in prayer, I would appreciate it. He leaves for Florida to be with my sister on Monday – and loves to travel. But when I mentioned that, he was still pretty down.

  • Julie Posted January 29, 2020 8:50 am

    I really needed this Reflection and the accompanying Scripture verse. Both greatly soothed my terrified heart. I hate to add to an already heavy moment but I often do not share my concerns here and this Reflection and today’s Devotional both remind me that this is what the New Testament writer’s encouraged believers to do. So after more than two weeks of no visits, h has been to his “friends” house twice in 2 days. (I have ascertained that he must await a phone call from tham in order to be allowed to visit. Obviously this does not show him the shallowness of this “friendship.”) This has me greatly concerned as it is they that encourage his leaving and his greed. They and he hoped to leave me penniless. I am glad God directed me to a good attorney, but I continue to worry. I do not know what this sudden turn of events heralds.
    Prayers for Lou and her family and all their concerns.
    Prayers for Robert as he awaits news regarding Mikie and prayers of thanks for completed taxes and a refund.
    Prayers for Jill and Larry, may Larry find solace in God and in the warm balm of the Florida sun. May Jill take comfort in the fact that a change of scenery and time spent with family enjoying the local sites will lift Larry’s heart.
    I join my prayers for Andrea, April, BJ, Betsy, Connie, Edy, Mary, Marcy and Rick, as well as all who read this comment board.
    Prayers and thank you UR

  • April Posted January 29, 2020 9:56 am

    This must be the morning for a wonderful devotional that reassures us that God’s faithfulness is new every morning. The part that was “new” to me, even though I have heard it so often, is God’s generosity. I am okay with giving God my fears and anxiety, but to read of God’s generosity…wow…that is the frosting on the cake for me!! He not only sees us through our times of fear and anxiety, he gives to us…peace, rest, comfort, joy, love….
    I pray the prayers that have been posted and all those in our UR Family who are named or unnamed.
    I am so sorry to read of the incident with your Dad, Jill. Our neighbor is a policeman and would never treat your father or anyone disrespectfully.
    We are awaiting test results. My longtime friend that recently passed had the song “Whatever will be will be” sung at her service. I am humming that this morning and adding, God is generous.’’
    Oh the joy of coming to this site every morning to gather together with the family before heading into the day. My we each feel the hand of God on our shoulder, the presence of Jesus at our side, the Holy Spirit whispering encouragement when we need it most. Blessings to each and their family and friends.

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