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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

FROM THE TIME that it was revealed, I often desired to know what our Lord’s meaning was. After more than 15 years, I was answered in spiritual understanding, “What? Would you know your Lord’s meaning in this thing? Know it well: love was the meaning. Who showed it to you? Love. What did God show you? Love. Why did God show it? For love. Hold on to that, and you will understand more of the same. But apart from that, you will never understand anything.
–Julian of Norwich

– Keith Beasley-Topliffe
Writings of Julian of Norwich

From page 65 of Writings of Julian of Norwich, edited by Keith Beasley-Topliffe. Copyright © 1998 by Keith Beasley-Topliffe. All rights reserved. Used by permission of Upper Room Books.
http://bookstore.upperroom.org/ Learn more about or purchase this book.

Today’s Question

How would you describe “our Lord’s meaning?” Share your thoughts.

Today’s Scripture

The heavens declare his righteousness, for God himself is judge. Selah

Psalm 50:6, NRSV

This Week: Pray for those single mothers and fathers. Submit your prayer to The Upper Room Living Prayer Center or share it in the comment section.

Did You Know?

In need of prayer? The Upper Room Living Prayer Center is a 7-day-a-week intercessory prayer ministry staffed by trained volunteers. Call 1-800-251-2468 or visit The Living Prayer Center website.

This week we remember: Margaret Gaffney Haughery (February 9).

Lectionary Readings

(Courtesy of Vanderbilt Divinity Library)

Sponsored by Upper Room Ministries ®. Copyright © 2018 | PO Box 340004 | Nashville, TN 37203-0004 | USA

7 Comments

  • robert moeller Posted February 7, 2018 4:53 am

    Yes, God is LOVE. Without God we would not know love, with God we have the most perfect love.

    From the recent posts it seems many of us are or have been single parents.
    Since the time my wife passed away 20+ years ago I have been a single parent.No one has been able to or sought to take her place. Being a single parent is an enormously difficult task, children, whether young or adult, miss what the absent parent could or would have done. Despite the effort of the single parent to make up for the loss, women can not be men and men can not be women. Prayers to God are the best solution. Very thankful there is God.

    Prayers for the UR family, there is a lot of God’s love shared here. It is an oasis with a well spring of God’s love freely shared. Thank you!

  • Lou Posted February 7, 2018 6:47 am

    And the greatest of these is love-
    Thankful for God’s never failing love.
    He is always with us – closer than our breath. Never leaving us- always loving us. Thankful today for the love of my children- they show it in many little ways. Thankful for the love from all of you- thank you Connie for your “love note” and thank you all for the support offered here.
    God’s love is truly evident in this place-
    Prayers for our pets and the love we receive from them. Prayers for healing for all- both physical and emotional. God is love. You all are His wonderful expression of the greatest Love.
    Lord help me to shine your love to others around me today.
    Blessings and peace and love to all who come here today

  • Andrea Posted February 7, 2018 7:21 am

    Robert, I had not thought of you as a single parent, but I see now that you are, of course, living with Erich and parenting him lovingly. I am fortunate in that my husband is a wonderful role model and friend to my daughter and her husband, and he is “Grandpa” to my grandson. My daughter has infrequent contact with her father even though he lives in the same metro area. I pray for you, for Lou, and for all single parents, for material and spiritual support, guidance, and renewal.

    Our voting precinct had a productive meeting at last night’s caususes. My husband and I volunteered to be delegates to the district convention in March. While Jesus taught us that the things of this world are separate from the kingdom of God, our political process is one means of promoting social justice, and Jesus taught us to work for social justice.

    The light is coming into the sky as I sit looking out the bedroom window at the snow- covered oak trees in our backyard, and I feel the quiet peace of winter. The whitened tree branches reach outward and upward toward the sky and remind me of our God’s wideness and mercy. May you all feel the embrace of the Everlasting Arms.

    • robert moeller Posted February 7, 2018 11:40 am

      Thanks Andrea! Becoming a single parent is not an easy task. In my case it was very abrupt and certainly unexpected. My wife passed away without warning. She was being seen by doctors, but they too were shocked to learn of her passing.

      I’ve tried to do what I thought was right, sometimes I did ok, at other times not so well. At the moment things are comfortable. We both help each other.

      Thankful your relationship with your daughter has improved greatly, your husband is well received and is your grandson’s “Grandpa”. Thank you for your prayers not only for me, but also for all the single parents.

  • Julie Posted February 7, 2018 8:12 am

    God is love and He is the One that taught me how to love.
    I saw His love reflected and shining from my grandparents hearts and eyes and then again from those of my daughter.
    I too was a single parent for a time. Blessings and prayers for all of those who are now.
    True, Robert, Lou, and Andrea, we never cease being parents.
    Blessings and prayers for all UR family. We are a group where one finds love, support, understanding and wonderful spiritual insights.
    “If you ever feel lost, let your heart be your compass”
    the quotes I share aare from “365 Days of Wonder” They are the precepts from the book “Wonder” BEST BOOK will read every year

    • Betsy Posted February 7, 2018 9:50 am

      I echo that, Julie! The book, Wonder was a great read. My daughter, who teaches, uses the precepts from the accompanying book as journal starters in her classroom. Very inspiring.

      • robert moeller Posted February 9, 2018 3:12 am

        Thanks Betsy! No matter how old they are, your children remain your children.

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