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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

People have always used scripture, silence, creativity, symbol, body, and reflection to seek the signs of the divine in their everyday lives. … All a particular form of prayer does is to organize, mark, and make intentional the search for God, which is already under way in each and every one of us. Prayer is nothing more than conversation with a partner whose presence is elusive—God isn’t here in material form, so we use all the resources at our disposal to enter into this conversation.

—Daniel Wolpert, Creating a Life with God: The Call of Ancient Prayer Practices (Upper Room Books, 2003)

Today’s Question

What kind of prayer helps you feel closest to God? Join the conversation.

Today’s Scripture

Whenever you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret, and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.
—Matthew 6:6 (NRSV)

Prayer for the Week

Our Father* in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done, on earth as in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us.
Save us from the time of trial and deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours now and for ever. Amen.
*Use whatever name for God you prefer, such as Creator, Sustainer, etc.
Submit your prayer to The Upper Room.

Something More

Join us for the next online Academy Day Apart retreat, Hope in a Time of Despair: Advent Through Immigrant Eyes with Alexia Salvatierra and Rubén Ortiz. On December 3, 2022, we will explore themes of biblical justice and the marginalization of individuals and communities in a community of worship and spiritual practice. Learn more.

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 27, 2022 6:49 am

    I think simple talking with God works best for me.
    Today we keep highs in the 60s but return to lows in the 30-40s with partly cloudy skies.
    Working on an important errand that will help a friend. Hope to have it done soon.
    A new worship series on Grace starts Sunday, Lay Servan class three on Monday, and we finish
    a chapter in the Wesley book on Tuesday. Halloween coming, it is not the special day it was when I was a kid, times have changed, no kids come here, Have wonderful memories of long ago, back in the 50s, crisp fall weather, jack-o-lanterns carved and lit, UNICEF collections, costume parties, dunking for apples, popcorn balls, and 100 kids would be out and about. Reformation Sunday was important.
    Prayers and blessings to all of you. Thank You, Lord.

  • Jill Posted October 27, 2022 5:10 pm

    Authentic, intentional, unhurried prayer is best for me. I aim to achieve this each morning, to get my day started in His presence.
    This week has been full of frustrations, really good conversations with my students, high point and valleys. It has run the spectrum. Trying to be grateful for all of it…including increasing patience when before it would have put me in a tailspin.
    Beautiful sunshine today – and not much wind, so I took a walk after dinner. Tomorrow is already Friday – a good thing. Two of my three classes tomorrow have quizzes – so should be a smooth slide into the weekend. I was also able to get my 2 (hopefully last) letters of recommendation completed today.
    Dad continues to just beam through our telephone calls, embracing opportunities to interact and be active.

  • Ally Posted October 28, 2022 1:27 am

    Talking with God as friend to friend. I visualize him sitting beside me in a peaceful place. I find praying the Psalms or prayers from the Book of Common prayer when I can’t find the right words.

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