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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

Hope without patience results in the illusion of optimism or, more terrifying, the desperation of fanaticism. The hope necessary to initiate us into the adventure must be schooled by patience if the adventure is to be sustained. Through patience we learn to continue to hope even though our hope seems to offer little chance of fulfillment. . . . Yet patience equally requires hope, for without hope patience too easily accepts the world and the self for what it is rather than what it can or should be.

—Stanley Hauerwas, “The Necessity of Patience,” in Hope: It’s More Than Wishful Thinking, compiled by Amy Lyles Wilson (Fresh Air Books, 2010)

Today’s Question

Where do you see connections between patience and hope? Join the conversation.

Today’s Scripture

As for me, I watch in hope for the LORD,
I wait for God my Savior;
my God will hear me.
—Micah 7:7 (NIV)

Prayer for the Week

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
Submit your prayer to The Upper Room.

Something More

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Lectionary Readings

(Courtesy of Vanderbilt Divinity Library)

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

2 Comments

  • robert moeller Posted July 20, 2024 6:13 am

    Yes indeed, patience and hope are definitely connected. You must be patient for hope to be fulfilled.
    the best fulfilled hope is for things unseen: love, mercy, grace, forgiveness.

    Pleasant summer weather – yes, that exists- again today. Open windows, low humidity and comfortable temperatures. Had a great walk up Bald Hill yesterday, hadn’t been up there for quite a while. No really good view despite its name, the summit is tree covered. Nice trails that are shady.

    I have to make an effort to read posts from Ally, Julie, Lou, Rick, Rusty, and Jill otherwise I rarely see them. God is with you always. Thank You, Lord.

  • Jill Posted July 20, 2024 6:56 am

    Yes, surely hope feeds patience and patience feeds hope. Reciprocal action. And we must be intentional about seeking out both as needed.
    Yesterday was my friend’s golf outing for her charity. A picture perfect day with comfortable temps and no humidity. My team finished under par – a first for us! It was an enjoyable day. My friend is glad the day is over…she is at her son’s basketball tournament a few hours away. The last one of the summer. She is looking forward to vacationing with her children next week. She also received news that her father is moving back from out of state and will be here for her son’s senior year of high school. Really encouraging news.
    A few simple errands today and Becky, Don and dad are stopping by for some cards later on, time spent before I head out of town Monday. Going to do some reading this morning and watch some of the golf from “across the pond”. Got my yard work done yesterday evening. Will fertilize my flowers today.

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