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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

The love of Jesus flowing among us can provide spiritual comfort. When we cannot find the right words, we can rest in the Spirit’s comfort together. We are not alone. While the Spirit cannot physically hold our hand, embrace us, or speak audible words to our pain, another person can. People—as complex and risky as they can be—are God’s hands and feet, hugs and words, silent but comforting embraces. People bring us into a deeper awareness of what the love God offers can look like in everyday touch, sight, and language. People embody God’s love for us in ways that we need, and it is OK to need God’s love in human ways.

—Angela D. Schaffner, Gather Us In: Leading Transformational Small Groups (Upper Room Books, 2020)
For more from Angela D. Schaffner, read 10 Tips for Leading a Small Group on Zoom.

Today’s Question

For whom can you be God’s hands and feet today? Join the conversation.

Today’s Scripture

The Lord God’s spirit is upon me,
because the Lord has anointed me.
He has sent me
to bring good news to the poor,
to bind up the brokenhearted,
to proclaim release for captives,
and liberation for prisoners.
—Isaiah 61:1 (CEB)

Prayer for the Week

God, we praise you for gathering us together like a mother hen gathers her chicks under her wings.
Submit your prayer to The Upper Room.

Something More

This Independence Day give back to our service men and women, who sacrifice so much for our freedom. Support The Upper Room Chaplains’ Ministry.

Lectionary Readings

(Courtesy of Vanderbilt Divinity Library)

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

3 Comments

  • Julie Posted July 1, 2020 8:37 am

    I can be the Lord’s hands and feet and arms to my daughter as she and I struggle to maintain his quality of life and facilitate his remission. I know she is fearful because Chai and she are bonded. I can also call a very special friend who needs a kind and heartfelt word and who can give the same in return. She is a Christian mentor to me and I value her deeply.
    Prayers for Jill and Larry and their ability to enjoy the summer together doing a shared favorite activity.
    Prayers for April and her gardening and gardener. How wonderful of you to step up and do the work while he is suffering from a devastating illness. May he be recovered and back to his duties soon and with minimal pain.
    Prayers for Ally and David as they continue to recover from their respective issues after COVID 19 illness. I know the melancholy of leaving people you have enjoyed working with doing a job that was rewarding. May your heart heal and may you find another amazing group of work buddies to work with as you continue your helpful therapies.
    Prayers for Robert and his continued interactions with a nonbeliever, may the nonbeliever come to know Christ through Robert’s quiet and steadfast Christian attitude and example. Robert, you have shown me the face of God the father as no other man has in my life.
    Prayers for Lou and her youngest as they navigate going back to school in New York City and many house repairs.
    Prayers, thank you and stay healthy dear UR one and all

    • robert moeller Posted July 1, 2020 9:01 am

      Julie, you are overly gracious with your comments. Everyone has faults, issues, yet we find others who we think will be life long partners and we, like God, put up with those faults, for love conquers a multitude of sins.

  • robert moeller Posted July 1, 2020 8:49 am

    To answer the question in one word, EVERYONE. God knows the human need for physical, spiritual, and emotional contact or God wouldn’t have created humans. I try to do what I can, when I can, as much as I can to be God’s hands and feet. I am deficient. It is only with God’s grace that completeness is accomplished.

    Thankful for the rain that continues today. It makes the air quite humid, but provides what we needed at the right time.

    Tedious patient effort and coupler lift bars were made and installed on a model this morning. These are the bars the open couplers so cars can be moved.

    Need more exercise, what little I did this morning has me tired.

    Today’s message was very much appreciated. Thankful God is with us always.

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