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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

GRACIOUS LORD, where can I go from your Spirit or flee from your presence, for you are everywhere? Help me to receive this word not as a curse but as an amazing blessing, for you promise to lead me by your hand and hold me in your arms as your beloved child. Amen.

– Paul Wesley Chilcote
A Life-Shaping Prayer

From p. 115 of A Life-Shaping Prayer: 52 Meditations in the Wesleyan Spirit by Paul Wesley Chilcote. Copyright (c) 2008 by Paul Wesley Chilcote. All rights reserved. Used by permission of Upper Room Books.. http://bookstore.upperroom.org/ Learn more about or purchase this book.

Today’s Question

Pray today’s prayer. Share your thoughts.

Today’s Scripture

As Samuel grew up, the LORD was with him and let none of his words fall to the ground.

1 Samuel 3:19, NRSV

This Week: Pray for new beginnings. 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: Emily Balch (January 9).

Lectionary Readings

(Courtesy of Vanderbilt Divinity Library)

Sponsored by Upper Room Ministries ®. Copyright © 2018 | PO Box 340004 | Nashville, TN 37203-0004 | USA

21 Comments

  • Jill Posted January 9, 2018 3:52 am

    Father – keep me attuned to Your Voice, I am prone to wander. Thank You for always welcoming me back to the fold.
    Mary – glad your father is out of surgery and hopefully on his way to a quick recovery.
    Marcy – continuing to pray for your body’s response to therapy. I hope you will have the strength to continue the rehab.
    I did get a snow/ice day yesterday and it was quite wonderful. Temperatures rose to the mid 30s by afternoon and I was able to take a walk. This morning I will run outside for the first time since New Year’s Eve…the bitter temps had kept me inside on my elliptical.
    Received a call from dad yesterday afternoon – he had to return to the doctors office. Luckily it was a malfunction of the catheter, and not an issue with him. He is now on his third catheter and hoping this one works appropriately until his procedure next Thursday. I spoke with him last night and his spirits were a bit down, for him. Difficult to see/hear him anxious. God, have mercy.

    • Mary Ng Shwu Ling Posted January 9, 2018 6:59 am

      Thanks Jill.

      He is able to sit up and has a good appetite today,

      Blessings

    • Andrea Posted January 9, 2018 8:38 am

      Jill, my prayers continue for you and your parents. May you all gain strength.

  • robert moeller Posted January 9, 2018 5:56 am

    Prayers for Mary’s Dad and Mom, for Marcy in rehab, Jill, her Dad and Mom, Julie’s knee and hands, Andrea and Lowell, Lou and her children, Betsy, Connie, Louise, and those we all miss and long to hear from. Prayers for Arnold, a church member in the hospital with heart problems. He had surgery and came home, but meds need to be adjusted so he’s back in the hospital.

    The need to be close to God is good. Thankful for yesterday’s and today’s reflection. The passage from Psalm 138 is very familiar. Yes, there are times when the distractions of this world get a grip on me. My mind wanders to things that are not so important. Very thankfully starting the day with the UR has a very strong pull.

    Thankful I was able to take a good long walk yesterday, temps warmed up, but it still snowed. Today is a gym day. Now I go there twice a week and walk the other days. Thankful for help and being able to help. My son and I are coming along. Still have hurtles, but progress is being made. Thank You, Lord.

    Blessings to all the UR family, thankful for you, your witness and support.

  • Mary Ng Shwu Ling Posted January 9, 2018 7:02 am

    Thanks Robert!

    My dad is doing therapy to expand his lungs as he has been lying down too much.

    Grateful for his speedy recovery

    Blessings

    • Andrea Posted January 9, 2018 8:36 am

      Mary, I am praying for your father. May he recover quickly.

      • Mary Ng Shwu Ling Posted January 9, 2018 7:18 pm

        Thanks Andrea!

        Blessings!

  • Julie Posted January 9, 2018 7:48 am

    Thank you Robert, for your prayers.
    Thankful for the progress with your heart rehab and with Erich.
    Mary, good to hear your father is doing so well. Hope your mother feels more like herself soon. Praying for you and all your responsibilities.
    Jill, thankful your father’s problem was not major.
    My leg is very swollen by the end of the day. I already had phlebitus in that leg so that explains why the swelling is so severe. This too will take time and patience foor resolution. My knee itself feells better each day.
    Prayers for each of the UR faithful and those who have not posted for awhile

    • Mary Ng Shwu Ling Posted January 9, 2018 8:24 am

      Thanks Julie!

      May you have a speedy recovery!

      Blessings!

    • Andrea Posted January 9, 2018 8:34 am

      Julie, on the outside chance it could be a clot, I recommend calling your clinic.

      • Julie Posted January 9, 2018 2:40 pm

        I have had clots before and know the symptoms. I also have been talking extra baby aspirin as a precaution.
        Thank you for your concern and prayers.

  • Betsy Posted January 9, 2018 8:02 am

    Lord, you are omnipresent. Thank you for leading us and supporting us in all things.
    Marcy, praying for your continued healing with therapy. I know it is slow going, but those therapists can do amazing things. Jill, snow days are always good, even though you’ve only begun your semester. Hope you’re rested and recharged! Mary, glad to hear your dad is through the surgery and pray that healing is underway. I’ve been kind of “off the grid” and have missed much! Glad to be back among my fellow prayer warriors here at UR.
    I’m leaving g for a short grip to the mountains with all my female family; sisters, daughters and nieces. We will be celebrating my sister, (Grace) birthday. She is slowly working through her grief. We are excited to spend Sister time with her. Don’t know how strong a signal we will have where we will be, but I hope to keep up with you all. Blessings to all.

    • robert moeller Posted January 9, 2018 4:16 pm

      Bless you, Betsy! Very glad you are going on this trip and my prayers are with all of you as you support Grace. Losing your husband or wife is one of the most traumatic experiences and everyone in that position needs support.
      May God’s healing power be with all of you.

  • Mary Ng Shwu Ling Posted January 9, 2018 8:27 am

    Thanks Betsy!

    May you enjoy your time with your sister!

    Blessingx!

  • Andrea Posted January 9, 2018 8:45 am

    Wishing God’s blessings to all today. Robert, prayers for you and Erich. It is good to hear you both are progressing, and I pray the same for Anneliese. Marcy, prayers for your rehab, that may you become stronger and more independent, and prayers for the other patients and for the staff.

    I saw my grief therapist yesterday (I started counseling after my mother died a fee years ago) and it was very helpful. My daughter and I are communicating although we have not seen each other since NY’s Eve. Please keep praying for us.

    • robert moeller Posted January 9, 2018 4:24 pm

      Blessings to you Andrea, glad you are going to counseling. I have found it very helpful. Thank you for your prayers for Anneliese, Erich, and me. Heart rehab has gone well, now I’m in a maintenance program, have two gyms I can use. Thankfully, Erich has a job that is working for him. We are doing better.
      Anneliese has a lot of health issues, thankfully she has health insurance and can see doctors, get help. The housing issue remains. Prayers that a difficult tenant will be gone and both the house and the condo cam be sold. Anneliese can then move to an apartment and be free of the problems of owning property.

      • Andrea Posted January 9, 2018 6:24 pm

        Robert, I will certainly pray that things will get easier for Annelise on both fronts, health/ pain and housing/difficult tenant.

    • Mary Ng Shwu Ling Posted January 9, 2018 7:21 pm

      Andrea, I am keeping you in prayer.

      Blessings

  • Marcy Posted January 9, 2018 6:50 pm

    Gracious Lord, I am thrilled that there is no where I can go to flee from Your Presence, that You are everywhere! I am so grateful to be Your child, that you hold my hand and guide me through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit!

    Thank you, Jill, for your prayers. I am so happy to be among this accepting UR family and urge any others, to please join us. Jill, I’m praying for your Dad and the anxiety that uncertainty brings with it. Our Father in heaven, stands by our side, ready to catch us if we stumble and fall. Jesus Christ, our Savior, is ready to carry us when we can’t stand on our own. Thank You, Jesus, for Your never-ending mercies. Be with Jill as she takes care of her parents, and Kord, bring Jill’s Dad into Your all-encompassing plover and fill him with peace and comfort.

    Robert, I thank you for your prayers. I am continuing rehabilitation, even when I’m totally out of it! I refuse to lose ground. I will pray for your friend from church, ARNOLD, who is hospitalized with heart problems. Lord, please strenthen, ARNOLD and watch over him, having had surgery and gone home, only to return again to find the right medications. I pray that the correct meds will be found soon. I am also praying fot you, Robert and wish you joy. Keeping Annaliese and Erich in my thoughts and prayers!

    Mary, I am praying for your Dad as he has pulmonary therapy to expand his lungs after being bed-bound. I’m working on this too! We are all praying for your Mom and especially your Dad. Praying for you, too! Love to you sweet sister Mary!

    Julie, I’m praying your knee returns to normal soon. I pray that you will know when to go the dr, as you know crier body best! Also praying over the pain you feel in your hands.

    Betsy, thank you for your prayers. I’ve been praying over Grace’s name for comfort and healing and also full recuperation from her shoulder surgery. What a great time you will have over Sister Time!♡♡♡ Sounds beautiful, I believe your “signal” to God will be strong wherever you are!

    • Mary Ng Shwu Ling Posted January 9, 2018 7:22 pm

      Thanks dear Marcy!

      I am keeping you in prayer too.

      Blessings

  • Marcy Posted January 9, 2018 6:58 pm

    Andrea, thank you ever so much for continuing to pray for me. Your prayers always hit the mark! Is your Grief counseling faith-based? I found it to be a real game-changer for me, and would like to find some crafts to make and shared either others! I am praying for you, Lowell, your daughter, son-in-law and grandson. I pray for harmony with understanding. Love to you, my sister!

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