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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

The world needs the gospel of Jesus. The gospel has the power to change not only the human heart but also the world itself. Taking the gospel seriously will help us to be clear about one thing: It is God, not us, who changes the lives of people and transforms the world. As church planters, we must plant, water, and cultivate the gospel in the hearts of women and men, children and adults, rich and poor. But if our efforts of planting a new church do not reflect this message of reconciliation and forgiveness, it is merely a human enterprise and therefore a misrepresentation of the God of the harvest who invites all people to be embraced by God’s love. If God’s love is true, it is true for everyone; this is the theology of church planting.

—Bener Agtarap, Curtis Brown, Ready, Set, Plant: The Why and How of Starting New Churches (Discipleship Resources, 2021)

Today’s Question

How can you reflect God’s message of reconciliation and forgiveness today? Join the conversation.

Today’s Scripture

All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting the message of reconciliation to us.
—2 Corinthians 5:18-19 (NRSV)

Prayer for the Week

Each day this week, add a different person or group of people to this simple prayer:

Lord,
Help me plant seeds of faith so _________ will get a chance to experience the fullness and unfailing love of God through Jesus and see the glory of God’s children at work in the world.
Amen.
Submit your prayer to The Upper Room.

Something More

2021 still has a long way to go. Visit The Upper Room Online Store and save 45% on The Upper Room Disciplines 2021 with the promo code DISC45. Includes both regular print and enlarged print, while supplies last.

Lectionary Readings

(Courtesy of Vanderbilt Divinity Library)

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

2 Comments

  • robert moeller Posted April 17, 2021 6:54 am

    I can reflect God’s message of reconciliation and forgiveness today by allowing God to work through me. I pray that God uses me that God’s kingdom comes. Snow, then rain , some flurries, and just as it all came it has now all gone with only the tiniest of hints that it was here. Hopefully I’ll meet a church friend for lunch today. The Brill car seats are being fitted, yard work is being done, Pearl will have her teeth cleaned and a fractured tooth removed, the couch is used. Hope you all have a blessed third Sunday in Eastertide. Thank You, Lord.

  • Julie Posted April 17, 2021 7:45 am

    The current social realm is ripe for Christ’s message. But who will listen? I conduct myself with these prinsiples in mind and pray that my small part will create ripples throughout the world. It is too difficult and not in my best interest currently to practice this with h. But I do illustrate this to Megan in our interaction and in my interactions with others.
    Prayers for Robert and his church friend, may they enjoy meaningful fellowship.
    Prayers for Ally’s thumb and job search and David’s continuing recovery.
    Prayers for Jill’s safe travels and enjoyment of the sights of San Diego.
    Prayers for the UR one and all

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