X

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

Every year, as we face the new beginnings in God’s time and remember the old, we encounter the age-old conundrum of finding our place in the universe. Like the psalmist, we may be in awe of the grandeur of time itself and the rapidity with which life slips through our fingers. Or we may simply carry forward with a resolve that our time, like life itself, is in God’s hands.

There is nothing wrong with acknowledging our own mortality—or the transient nature of life itself—as we yearn for the coming of Christ and his kingdom. After all, it is God’s kingdom that we are praying for (not our own kingdoms); and when we acknowledge God’s abiding presence over our mortality, we enter the timelessness of God.

Thinking about such imponderable matters gives us patience, fortitude, and—ultimately—faith. We cannot give ourselves eternal life. We cannot give ourselves another day of life. We do not create our own experiences. All of these are gifts of God.

—Todd Outcalt, Let Us Go Now to Bethlehem: Daily Devotions for Advent and Christmas (Upper Room Books, 2020)

Today’s Question

What dangers and trials have you experienced in your spiritual journey? How has God shown up for you? Join the conversation.

Today’s Scripture

Do not ignore this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day
is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like one day.
—2 Peter 3:8 (NRSVUE)

Prayer for the Week

Creator God, as you have made all things, I know you are still creating in me too. You are not finished working on me. Thank you for your patience throughout the seasons of my life, and I pray that I may offer beauty, comfort, relief, joy, and strength to those I encounter today. Help me to rely upon your counsel through all of the adversity of my life. Amen.
—Prayer by Todd Outcalt
Submit your prayer to The Upper Room.

Something More

The Upper Room wishes you a blessed Christmas season and a happy new year full of hope, joy, peace, and love—all of the priceless gifts that Jesus gives us. You can serve as a tangible reminder of these gifts by giving to The Upper Room. Your tax-deductible gift of any size will impact lives throughout the world. Give today.

Lectionary Readings

(Courtesy of Vanderbilt Divinity Library)

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

5 Comments

  • Jill Posted December 28, 2023 6:44 am

    I wouldn’t necessarily label it a “danger or trial” – more of an obstacle…my logical thinking and needing everything to “make sense” – this was a hindrance early on once I hit my spiritual growth spurt. What I do think is a danger I must always be aware of is giving the throne of my heart to another…replacing Jesus as my anchor and strongest desire. Relationships can consume me – and be a form of idolatry. God has blessed me with a few significant friends, and I treasure them. But – they must not be where my hope lies, they mustn’t rise above Christ – and His influence and my focus.
    My godson’s basketball team played in a “showcase” event yesterday where many teams from the area played games throughout the day. His team had the last game, against the host school. Each game honored a member of each team as the outstanding player – and my god son received the award. It was well deserved, as he had his best game of the season and his other teammates were struggling. The team is now 8-1 and ranked in the state. He is steady and sure, guards the other team’s best player. The bonus last night was he was the leading scorer.
    My friend ate dinner with me and when we got home after 10 – I asked her if she wanted to take a short walk with me. It was such a still evening and I hadn’t gotten out for a walk. We kept a slow pace, as this was only the second walk I had taken.
    The kittens are doing a nice job of letting me sleep in.
    Going to Becky’s this afternoon. Some cards, fixing the usual “Christmas Eve brunch” for dinner (delayed because of my surgery) and the football game this evening. We are also going to discuss spring break plans…whether they are coming back for Easter, or I am going down there.

  • Ally Posted December 28, 2023 7:47 am

    There have been so many trials to mention. God has carried me through much. God is carrying me through something right now. I don’t feel able to talk about it yet, and it has been hard to see God’s purpose in this. God is in the midst of my pain. Prayers for Jill as she heals, Julie and Megan as they prepare to care for H, Robert and Erich as they persevere with their move to the Poconos, Rusty as he deals with illness, Lou, April, and all who visit NEM. Be blessed today.

  • robert moeller Posted December 28, 2023 7:59 am

    I have a hard time finding a “danger and a trial “. I‘d call them challenges similar to Jill’s obstacles.
    The biggest ones relate to the loss of relationships. What to do? How to handle the situation? How to be at peace when I realize there is nothing I can do. Turning to God has helped immensely.. Time goes by, but it’s always time to turn to God. Thank You, Lord.
    As much as I appreciate watching sports, I never was able to do what they do, the fame that comes from accomplishments , while worthy of being recorded, is most appreciated by those who remember, were there, and have a connection. Thankful Jill was present for her godson’s game.
    Walks late at night! Haven’t done that much, but one I did do stands out. It was up and down a steep hill. Thankfully there were steps.
    More to do on the worship plan for Sunday.. Thankful God is with us always.

  • Julie Posted December 28, 2023 9:46 am

    My life has been nothing but trials one after another. I have finally at my age found a wonderful therapist and together we are healing my pain from a lifetime of trauma and abuse. It was hard to admit but everyone in my life has caused trauma and they have abused me. My grandparents are the lone exception. Consequently I have much healing to do. Only God could have gotten me through the darkness and only God can heal me through the work I do in therapy.

  • Rusty Posted December 28, 2023 3:35 pm

    Thank you, Ally, praise God my health is good now.

Add Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *