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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

Prayer is radical because it uncovers the deepest roots of our identity in God. In prayer we seek God’s voice and allow God’s word to penetrate our fear and resistance so that we can begin to hear what God wants us to know. And what God wants us to know is that before we think or do or accomplish anything, before we have much money or little money, the deepest truth of our human identity is this: “You are my beloved son. You are my beloved daughter. With you I am well pleased.”

—Henri J. M. Nouwen with Nathan Ball, A Spirituality of Fundraising: Workbook Edition (Upper Room Books, 2019)

Today’s Question

Why might someone doubt he or she is beloved by God? How might we as Christians help when someone doubts his or her belovedness? Join the conversation.

Today’s Scripture

The Holy Spirit descended upon him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven, “You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased.”
—Luke 3:22 (NRSV)

Prayer for the Week

Creator God, Give me vision and mission, so that I may find new life and direction.
Amen.
Submit your prayer to The Upper Room.

Something More

For inspiration and encouragement for aging faithfully, visit UpperRoom.org/OlderAdults.

Lectionary Readings

(Courtesy of Vanderbilt Divinity Library)

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

3 Comments

  • robert moeller Posted October 16, 2021 6:32 am

    I am a believer. I also believe, think, that only God can make any seed I plant grow. Both of my children were brought up in the church. Now neither one of them believes. My granddaughters
    won’t know about God through my daughter. My son finds no evidence of Jesus outside the Bible and two many examples of Bibiical text in other religions of the Middle East leading him to believe the Bible is copied.
    Yet,Sunday I’ll give a message that while we have no human pastor, at the moment, we have a high priest in the order of Melchizedek, Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who keeps us from falling.
    Laity have stepped up and there will be services just as this church was founded by lay believers 150 years ago. in the month the Reformation began with Luther’s 95 theses, we remember the priesthood of all believers. Thank You, Lord.

  • Julie Posted October 16, 2021 8:41 am

    I am such a person. I have never truly been loved on earth and therefor have trouble comprehending love in general but more specifically that I am worthy of love.
    Tomorrow I will be going to church which uplifts me in so many ways. Then run errands alone while Megan is with her dad. I like to get exercise but the weather has changed and it will be too cold to be outside much. So I will walk around our mall which takes a long while. The kitties are in quite the mood this morning andhave been chasing one another with abandon. So much abandon that they knocked over some furniture.
    Prayers for Ally and David, for improved physical and mental health and finances. Prayers for Jill and her colleague, may they find a resolution to their contentious interactions. Prayers for Robert as he provides the message to his church, may the founders of the church be with him in spirit and guide his message and heart. Prayers for Marti and her staff. Thank you for your prayers and may God bless all who visit here.

  • Jill Posted October 16, 2021 5:53 pm

    For those who doubt their lovability, we Christians must continue to be a vessel of Christ and demonstrate compassion to them, reiterate Scripture and speak to how and why we are assured of His love for us. “Blessed Assurance” comes to mind…”Jesus is mine. Oh what a foretaste of glory divine.” His arms outstretched on the cross for us, to save us, to take us in, to embrace us for eternity. Thank You, Father.
    My sister and her husband are heading to Florida next week – so we spent time at dad’s this afternoon. They picked up Chinese and we played games for several hours. When I got home, I put on a stocking cap and went out for a walk. Too much time sitting and eating poorly. My sister made a cinnamon coffee cake – my absolute favorite.
    I will be heading to bed soon. Last night was a late night with tennis, and I was awake earlier than I wanted to be this morning.
    Really noticing how the days are getting shorter. Almost dark here, so yes – Roger and I shall retire upstairs.

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