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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

WHEN I LOSE SIGHT of who I am and who other people are “in Christ Jesus,” my prayers focus on shortcomings I see in others, things that may annoy me about them or ways they do not measure up to my standards of who I think they ought to be. … Such prayer loses sight of God’s grace working for good in our lives and the lives of those around us. Paul enters prayer by focusing on who we are in Christ Jesus. Beginning prayer like Paul turns it into a joyful discovery of what God is doing in our midst. Prayer becomes a joyful thanksgiving for how God works in the world.

—Max O. Vincent
Because of This I Rejoice: Reading Philippians During Lent

From pages 28-29 of Because of This I Rejoice: Reading Philippians During Lent by Max O. Vincent. Copyright © 2018 by The Upper Room. All rights reserved. Used by permission of Upper Room Books. Learn more about or purchase this book.

Today’s Question

What is your attitude when you pray? Share your thoughts.

Today’s Scripture

I am confident of this, that the one who began a good work among you will bring it to completion by the day of Jesus Christ.
—Philippians 1:6, NRSV

This Week: Rejoice in the Lord always. Submit your prayer to The Upper Room Living Prayer Center or share it in the comment section.

New for Lent 2019

Upper Room eLearning invites you to join our online community for an eCourse based on Because of This I Rejoice. Click here to preview this eCourse experience.

Lectionary Readings

(Courtesy of Vanderbilt Divinity Library)

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

Sponsored by The Upper Room. Copyright © 2019 | PO Box 340004 | Nashville, TN 37203-0004 | USA

15 Comments

  • Mary Ng Shwu Ling Posted February 4, 2019 3:28 am

    I think we should pray with an attitude of submission. Ultimately, we want God’s will to be done cause alone knows what is best for us.

    Blessings!

    • Mary Ng Shwu Ling Posted February 4, 2019 7:25 am

      I meant God (He) alone knows what is best for us.

      Grateful for reunion dinner.

      Thank you God !

  • Jill Posted February 4, 2019 4:19 am

    Yes, I agree with Mary – submission is important. A heart who pulses with -“not my will, but Thine be done” – even if the words aren’t readily there during pleas. Thank You, Father, for knowing our hearts. Thanksgiving, too, should be part of every prayer. Esteeming His holiness, sovereignty and supremacy. Father, forgive me when my prayers are only requests. My ultimate need is You.
    I came across an article a few days ago – talking about the only 6 words we need. I am turning it into my new mantra, with a slight variation. The 6 words are – “I can trust God with this.” My version is “I can trust God with this. I will trust God with this. I DO trust God with this.”
    Grateful for the cancer support group meeting yesterday – what wonderful people, praising God through the storms of life. Grateful for dad’s continued good health and tender love and care for mom.

  • robert moeller Posted February 4, 2019 6:42 am

    I know that I am often thankful, have many reasons to be so. Also have prayers requests for others. I know God can and does answer prayer. I pray that god’s will is done.

    Thankful yesterday to see Arnolds in church. He had four stents put in recently. Thankful for for a wonderful day both in church and here at home.
    Made Erich breakfast for supper. He often cooks and my skills are not as good as his, but I can make breakfast. Glad he enjoyed it.

    I agree with Mary and Jill. We pray “Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven”. As humans we struggle with people dying, we need to remember that God is with us always, here, through dying, and into new life. With God there is life eternal.

    Much warmer, above freezing temps to day and for a couple of days. A snow-rain mix today and all rain tomorrow.

    Thankful for the support Jill has found at the cancer support group, and thankful her Dad is doing well with his health and support for Gloria.

    Saw very moving local PBS program on hospice care givers who sing as a choir for hospice patients. Learned that a choir member is in that choir. Patients talked about the experience and how helpful it was.

    That hospice is available these days is a great blessing. My Mom was in hospice and the hospice pastor lead her memorial service. It was very moving and helpful.

    Dear UR family, be lifted up knowing that God knows you better than anyone here can, but that as the body of Christ, we serve as Christ’s hands here on earth. Thank You. Lord.

  • Rusty Posted February 4, 2019 6:42 am

    Mary’s post is right on. Submission. To that I would add thankfulness (which I see in Jill’s post, too). This reading is helpful to me. My daily prayer includes a confession piece and asking for God’s forgiveness and help with my own repentance. Often what I confess is about bad feelings and thoughts I have about people who have annoyed me (and not even harmed me, really). I do need forgiveness for this, but mainly I need to overcome this and change my thoughts to be more charitable and forgiving towards such people.

    The writer of today’s reflection is absolutely right. God is doing works of grace in these people (just as he is in me). This helps me be be submissive to him, and thankful!

    Bless you Lord and thank you for this wonderful group.

    • Rusty Posted February 4, 2019 6:44 am

      Thank you, Robert. I just read your post – and you show that thankfulness too!

  • Betsy Posted February 4, 2019 7:01 am

    I agree, Mary, an attitude of submission is important. His will, not ours. Thank you, Jill, for your “6 words”. I’ve added them to my list of Breath Prayers.
    I’m reading the letters to the Corinthians in a weekly Bible Study and agree that Paul’s focus on the grace and work of the people he is serving. Let me be more like Paul; praying for and serving others in joy.

  • Julie Posted February 4, 2019 8:26 am

    Submission, yes, thankfulness in all circumstances, yes, penitent, yes, humble, yes, might I add reflecting, as in reflecting His love back to Him.
    Blessings and prayers dear UR family

  • Lou Posted February 4, 2019 9:35 am

    My prayers are all over the place I must admit- I’m working on thankful and gratitude – for I know that without Him I am nothing. During the polar vortex I admit my prayers were pleading – and specific- please keep my furnace running – please don’t let my pipes freeze- please not another problem in my new house that I am still not familiar with….and thanks be to God – he got me through the -48 cold days… and my furnace died yesterday when it was 48 above zero…. I need a new furnace which hopefully will go in today or tomorrow – today it is 50 and tomorrow it will be 18 again… so I would say God heard my prayers – and I’m thankful I have the resources to get a new furnace installed. I think God reminds me who is in charge when maybe I need it most. I was very down for awhile yesterday- after I came home from church to a cold house and my youngest was none too supportive. But it is a new day – and God isn’t done with me yet.
    Thank you God for a 50 degree February day in Chicago.
    Thank you for loving me and all the followers and the wonderful posts above –
    Prayers for all who come here today.

  • Degrenia Posted February 4, 2019 12:54 pm

    Not sure where to leave this comment. The new email format for subscribers does not work well in Microsoft outlook. (online for hotmail) It comes in very large and very wide which makes it very difficult to read.

    • Ministry Engagement of The Upper Room Posted February 4, 2019 2:33 pm

      Degrenia,
      As you have noticed, we have made some transitions. I am sorry there have been some issues with Outlook emails. We are currently working on the book image problem. Would it be possible for you to take a screenshot or forward the problem email to “MinistryEngagement@upperroom.org”?
      Thank you for the feedback.

  • Marti Williams-Martin Posted February 4, 2019 2:26 pm

    Hello UR family, Thank you for making Daily Reflections part of your daily practice! You help make Reflections a COMMUNITY of prayer. The Upper Room staff is grateful for you and for your prayers.

    • Mary Ng Shwu Ling Posted February 4, 2019 5:39 pm

      Thank you Martin Williams-Martin for the Daily Reflections ministry!

      May God bless the ministry and everyone here abundantly!

      Blessings!

      • Mary Ng Shwu Ling Posted February 4, 2019 5:41 pm

        Sorry I meant Marti Williams-Martin.

  • Rusty Posted February 4, 2019 8:52 pm

    Yes! Thank you, Marti and UR. Nice to hear from you.

    God bless!

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