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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

On the personal side, the grace gifts we are given enable us to serve God through the uniqueness God granted at our creation. … On the corporate side, the grace gifts enable us to work for the common good, to band together with others for the betterment of our congregations and the communities in which they are located—our mission field. I have long believed that God has already placed within each community of faith all the grace gifts, skills, passions, and experience necessary for that community to fulfill God’s call to mission and ministry in and with its unique mission field.

—Christine Harman, For the Common Good: Discovering and Using Your Spiritual Gifts (Discipleship Resources, 2021)

Today’s Question

How can your spiritual gifts bring about the common good in your community? Join the conversation.

Today’s Scripture

Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; and there are varieties of services, but the same Lord; and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who activates all of them in everyone. To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.
—1 Corinthians 12:4-7, NRSV

Prayer for the Week

Lord,
Give me knowledge and insight that will help me make the right choices in my life. Amen.
Submit your prayer to The Upper Room.

Something More

You are beloved, and you are gifted. Rediscovering Our Spiritual Gifts: Building Up the Body of Christ Through the Gifts of the Spirit will help you discover the particular gifts the Holy Spirit has given you and challenges you to use. A “Grace Gifts Inventory” is included in the book to help you identify and apply the spiritual gifts in your life.

Lectionary Readings

(Courtesy of Vanderbilt Divinity Library)

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

Save 45% and get free shipping on the regular and enlarged-print editions of Disciplines 2021. Use promo code DISC45 at checkout. Offer good while supplies last.

7 Comments

  • robert moeller Posted July 13, 2021 6:09 am

    Changing my post time. to later in the day, otherwise I miss all of you!

  • Julie Posted July 13, 2021 8:29 am

    These questions are difficult to discern for myself. Maybe not for others, but I feel it is better to objectively determine spiritual gifts and their usefulness in others rather than myself.
    H continues to drill me about my future plans even after he refused to answer my questions regarding the missing package. I even told him I would be calling the police and he refused to answer my question. Now almost every day he asks me about my plans for the future. I am at my wit’s end and just barely holding on to my sanity.
    Prayers for Ally and her job search and her and David’s ongoing health issues. Prayers for Jill and her family as they were able to engage in their palns together despite the rain. The rain arrived here over night with much lightening and downpours. Prayers for Lou and her family. Prayers for Robert and Erich as they work through their differences with a therapist. May they find success and healing. Prayers for Marti and her staff and many thanks for your work on our behalf.
    Thank you for your prayers. May God bless all who come here.

  • robert moeller Posted July 13, 2021 4:18 pm

    It is so much better to post later in the day and get some news of how NEM is doing. Sure praying for Julie, the missing package, obnoxious behavior from h, and what the future holds. Hope Megan is recovering from the shingles. I join in prayers for Lou, her children and mother; Jill and family plans with Larry and Becky, and Marti and her staff. News of Marcy’s situation would be most welcome. While every thing is not as I or Erich hope, there are some positives. Sure wish those we miss from just a year or two ago were here.
    The new pastor led Bible study and we are off and running. Hopefully breakfast with the pastor will go as well on Friday. Nine days and I’m off to visit my daughter and granddaughters. Will still post here Am sure I will enjoy reading / sharing more posts from all of you. Thank You, Lord.

    • Julie Posted July 13, 2021 7:17 pm

      H had the package, he just refused to tell me. I called the police to report it as stolen. When I told him I had called the police at first he just stared at me. Finally after a long silence he said he had it.

    • Julie Posted July 13, 2021 7:17 pm

      H had the package, he just refused to tell me. I called the police to report it as stolen. When I told him I had called the police at first he just stared at me. Finally after a long silence he said he had it.

  • Jill Posted July 13, 2021 4:39 pm

    I believe if I ask God for wisdom and discernment regarding my gifts – He, through The Spirit, will bring me to the right place/person/time. If I am not using them, then I am wasting them. The gift is not for me to enjoy, but rather to employ – for others, to His glory.
    My friend’s birthday is tomorrow and our schedules just don’t mesh well for tomorrow. So – I took her gifts to her this afternoon and then she mentioned we should go grab a bite to eat. We will do a birthday dinner celebration at another time, as she wants to pick out a sushi restaurant. We went to a very tiny restaurant that my other friend recommended and it is relatively close to her house. I love Cubans – and they had one. When we walked out, I told her I would always be ready to return to this restaurant.
    A tennis match later this evening. Our singles player is out of town, so I will be filling in at singles. First competitive team match I have played singles in quite some time. Should be a good change of pace as the season winds down.

  • Julie Posted July 13, 2021 7:19 pm

    H had the package, he just refused to tell me. I called the police to report it as stolen. When I told him I had called the police at first he just stared at me. Finally after a long silence he said he had it.

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