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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 the Holy One reaches out to us as pilgrim travelers and bids us to join the dance, it is an invitation to live with the knowledge we are never alone. The One Who Loves Us accompanies us through life, wanting nothing more than for us to be whole. This Lover waits patiently for us to release our preoccupations with the things that dim our awareness of an ever-present love. Letting go of those things that cloud our vision, we experience an encounter with Sacred Love. These encounters ignite our passion for life, kindle the flame of creativity within, and invite us into a loving relationship with the Divine Creator.

—Karla M. Kincannon, Creativity and Divine Surprise: Finding the Place of Your Resurrection (Upper Room Books, 2005)

Today’s Question

What do you need to let go today in order to encounter Sacred Love? Join the conversation.

Today’s Scripture

As God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience.
—Colossians 3:12 (NRSV)

Prayer for the Week

Creator God,
Help me discover my God-given creativity and find the sacred in each God-given moment.
Submit your prayer to The Upper Room.

Something More

Walk in spiritual wisdom with Will Willimon, Steve Harper, Patricia Raybon, and Kathy Khang, just some of the writers featured in The Upper Room Disciplines 2022: A Book of Daily Devotions, a trusted companion for personal prayer and study, and an essential resource for pastors and Christian educators for nearly 65 years. Learn more here.

Lectionary Readings

(Courtesy of Vanderbilt Divinity Library)

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

3 Comments

  • robert moeller Posted September 5, 2021 8:23 am

    Went back through NEMs to August 31st. If I don’t I miss a lot of news from this faith oasis.
    Prayers for all of you. Ally and David, health and income, Julie, the upcoming trial, joys learning of the many activities you and Megan do, cooking and baking with Penzy spices, Jill, on and off blimp ride opportunity, tennis and golf, your Dad, students, back in school, concerns for safety, friends far and near, Thank you all for your prayers for Erich and I , things have been calmer lately, there is a counseling session on the 7th, the car is running fine, no dental issues as the moment, still taking walks, almost done the weed killer application, the last patch is the biggest, most dense. Preoaring for a railroad historical society convention, hope it happens, the virus is spiking. ZOOM worship this morning with communion. A nice lunch with church friends yesterday. Cooler, more comfortable weather. My daughter’s Brooklyn home had a little water in the basement and some in the master bedroom otherwise all fine. Labor Day weekend and things will be more quite after Monday. Thankful for the blessings of the day, Be safe.

  • April Posted September 5, 2021 9:21 am

    The month of September is a time of letting go, like the leaves from the trees as fall approaches (theme of the month from a daily reading book). The colors are starting to turn from green to brilliant yellows and reds before they will drop from the branches so that there will be a place for new life in the Spring. The rhythms of life that God has set before us are comforting to me as I think of life and death and life again.
    What do I need to let go of? Things. Tasks. Am going to take the rest-time God has provided for me today to do just that….tomorrow I will start again on cleaning out our garage. As my husband is the oldest of the siblings in his family, his parents are gone and so are mine, although I am not the oldest in my family. We have inherited the treasures of past generations, but find it is time to let go of them and make space. Last week was a great week of sharing many of them with thrift stores, consignment stores, and even selling some. I relived memories we had and I am praying they will provide many memories for their new owners.
    I thought I had to keep hold of these family treasures because….I was told to, there may come a time when we would need them, I felt guilty, we had the room to store them, etc. But I did not feel good, as a matter of fact, I feel so much better by letting them fall and move out of my garage!! This is what God wants me to do with these treasures, but how much more does he want me to let go of feelings that clutter my mind/heart/life? As I am learning, I can’t take another breath until I have let go of the one I am breathing. When I let go, I have space for new….thoughts, actions, works of art, and yes, Sacred love, more of God in my life that I might be His hands and feet.
    I pray the prayers others have shared and add my Amen. Blessings to all today.

  • Jill Posted September 5, 2021 11:25 am

    I think God has made me very aware of various expectations I have – with others, with scenarios, even with Him – and I have strived to not have these be significant influencers of me. Old habits die hard, but I can see progress. He sees how much more progress can be made. Also, as far as my understanding of Him – I have let go of the need for logicalness and moved towards embracing the mystery of Him and His ways. Yes, old habits and nature die hard.
    Grateful for church this morning, safe social distancing and masks.
    I received an email from one of my students last night – there have been multiple covid cases on the volleyball team and now many are quarantined. She is hoping to get a negative covid test and return to school sooner than the 10 day quarantine, as she has been vaccinated. I imagine this will be common and students, as well as myself, need to be prepared for this fluid situation.
    My friend and I ate outdoors at a favorite restaurant yesterday. They have the most tender calamari I have ever had. I don’t even bother looking at the menu, because I always get the calamari. We had some ice cream, too, on the way home and then took her dogs for a walk. We were going to order in but decided these warm comfortable afternoons will be fleeting soon, so we took advantage of the pleasant weather to dine outside.
    I am meeting dad for a walk at the park here in a bit. Have been doing some grading and will continue it when I get home from the walk. The rain occurred overnight here and the sun is trying to break through the clouds.

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