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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

Loving-kindness cut straight to the heart of improving my own self-talk and judgment of others. And I found, despite some grimacing, a softening toward those for whom I felt anger. Devotional meditation, though clunky at first, became as natural as any worship service I had attended. It provided a time of praise and worship for my heart and mind. This meditation method was the culmination of my journey, reminding me that thinking about, reflecting on, gazing at, and contemplating God makes me spiritually open to God’s movement in and through me.

—J. Dana Trent, One Breath at a Time: A Skeptic’s Guide to Christian Meditation (Upper Room Books, 2019)

Today’s Question

When have you observed a change in yourself after adopting a new spiritual practice? Join the conversation.

Today’s Scripture

Let us go on toward perfection, leaving behind the basic teaching about Christ, and not laying again the foundation: repentance from dead works and faith toward God.
—Hebrews 6:1 (NRSV)

Prayer for the Week

Spirit of God, comfort and renew us with each breath we take. Amen.
Submit your prayer to The Upper Room.

Something More

Join us for Spiritual Formation in Today’s World: A One-Year Online Offering from The Academy for Spiritual Formation. The first 3-day session begins on February 24, 2022. Learn more and apply here.

Lectionary Readings

(Courtesy of Vanderbilt Divinity Library)

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

2 Comments

  • robert moeller Posted January 16, 2022 5:27 am

    My biggest change came during a 10 week one-on-one course with a pastor in 1998, I’m very thankful for those sessions, -5 here now, clear, going to 22, then down to 8, snow expected tomorrow, Ready for worship today. Prayers of healing for Julie, may resolution of home life issues be forthcoming. Stay safe and warm all of you in the path of this snow storm, hope it is all snow and not a wintry mx. Progress on plans fir a model of East Swanton VT station, two fellow modelers are helping. Thank You, Lord

  • Jill Posted January 16, 2022 10:54 am

    A significant change came when I stopped asking God to change other people, and asked Him to change me. To change my perspective, to enable me to love in a more unconditional manner, to not be a scorekeeper, to seek peace and pursue it. Many of the attributes found at the end of James 3. In His vast mercy, He answered this prayer, beginning a seismic transformation in my heart.
    Beautifully blue skies again, ahead of the snowstorm. Temps rising a bit – will get out for a walk this afternoon. My exercise tomorrow will be shoveling snow. It is supposed to be a heavy snow, so I will pace myself.
    Hope to complete my schoolwork today – so I can have time tomorrow for more relaxation.
    Dad went to church with me today. A few friends came over and greeted us afterwards – he was really glad he came. He had a showing of his condo yesterday and another one today. Hopefully an offer is forthcoming.
    Last week our pastor began a series on 1 Peter. Today, we covered verses 3-5 in the first chapter. And he spoke about how our faith, through God’s great mercy provides us the ability to continue steady through hardships, due to our theology. A proper theology of suffering, will hold us steady as we go.

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