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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

Maybe letter writing is not just an Advent tradition, but also a forgotten blessing. To send notes of thanks and appreciation for the good that people do in the world, that is indeed a blessing. I confess that it is easier to send a quick email, but there is something extra special about taking the time to write. If God could and does bend low to be with us, I can share thanks and blessings with others.

—Larry J. Peacock, The Living Nativity: Preparing for Christmas with Saint Francis (Upper Room Books, 2018)

Today’s Question

Who might be grateful to receive a letter from you? Share your thoughts.

Today’s Scripture

So let’s strive for the things that bring peace and the things that build each other up.’”
—Romans 14:19 (CEB)

Prayer for the Week

Hallelujah! God is with us. Submit your prayer to The Upper Room.

Something More

The Upper Room wishes you a blessed Christmas season, full of joy and love, in celebration of the greatest gift of all—Jesus Christ. You can continue to spread the gift of Jesus by giving to The Upper Room.
Your tax-deductible gift of any size will impact lives throughout the world.

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

8 Comments

  • Anonymous Posted December 26, 2019 8:50 am

    Psalm 32: 24 – Be strong, and let your heart take courage, all you who wait for the Lord.

    The morning after Christmas is a gray one here in Minnesota, but my heart is full from a bright Christmas Day yesterday at our house with my daughter, SIL, and grandson, everyone in a good place, in the Christmas spirit, for which I am grateful. Thank you for your prayers.

    As Christmas continues until Epiphany, or Dia dos Reyes, I pray the Christmas spirit will prevail in our hearts and minds, and may we spread it outward each in our own way. I am grateful for the UR circle of prayer warriors, grateful for your prayers and witness to God’s love. Wishing all a blessed day.

    • Andrea Posted December 26, 2019 8:51 am

      The above comment is mine. Blessings, all.

      • Bj Posted December 26, 2019 11:21 am

        Good morning, UR family! Somebody might not have went to sleep last night nor somebody might not have woke up this morning. But thanks be to God, for His many blessings that He has already bestowed upon us. Like you Andrea, it is a blessing to see a brand new day. No matter what the weather is, it is still the day the Lord has made. I am glad that all is well. I know MN probably got the cold air, but I am in MS. Very warm yesterday and warm already this morning. Have a blessed day.

  • Bj Posted December 26, 2019 11:27 am

    Wow! Ahhhhh, I wander where are my friends that regularly post? Awe! They must have/and still playing Santa Claus. Just kidding. I just been missing you all. I pray that all is well. I love this UR group.

  • Lou Posted December 26, 2019 11:33 am

    I am a letter writer – and I love receiving old fashioned mail. I write my elderly aunt regularly – and a good friends from my church- a couple who are housebound and live about one and a half hours from me. The husband – a retired English teacher writes me the most beautiful letters back- we are “pen pals” we say- I visited them two weeks ago and he said he so looks forward to my letters- and I said that I do also in return. His letters are often 8-10 pages! And I so enjoy them- they are often filled with stories of his faith and how his faith has carried him through some significant health issues- I always am renewed after reading his letters! Just like I am after reading the posts from you all-
    Thank you all for the continues prayers and the faith and wisdom that comes from you all – it is a blessing- you all are a blessing.

  • robert moeller Posted December 26, 2019 12:50 pm

    I hope everyone to whom I send a message, no matter by what method, is happy to receive and read it. Of course I can’t guarantee that, but it certainly is the hope.

    Have made my way Boston and am on the train to NYC. This is my first such trip since the late 1960s.

    Sauerbraten tonight in Broo n.

  • Anonymous Posted December 26, 2019 3:08 pm

    My friend who I have written to for many years passed this past November. I often find myself planning what I am going to write to her and then I remember that she has gone ahead of me and when we meet again, we won’t have to write anymore, we can just sit and have a cup of coffee together to chat. Oh how she loved my letters and I surely did enjoy hers, always ending with sending her love.
    I have a few other friends that enjoy the gift of a letter and recently our granddaughters are starting to write letters!!
    Our Christmas eve and day were packed with family and I loved every minute, even if there were ups and downs, we are still family:))
    I am wishing you each a most Blessed Christmas Season right up to Jan 6 and beyond. May you feel the Peace of Christ reaching out to you and guiding you, for He sent the best gift ever….His Only Son.
    Love to my UR Family.

    • April Posted December 26, 2019 3:09 pm

      Anonymous above was me, April…..sorry about that.

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