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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

God’s heart beats with the pulse of compassion. God’s heart is not hardened toward the plight of the world; it is not callous and cold in the face of suffering. In fact, hard-heartedness, like that of Pharaoh before the Jews in Egypt, is the chief characteristic of those who are ungodly. God’s heart is moist. It is moved by the cries of those who suffer, and it delights in the beauty of creation’s flourishing.

—Frank Rogers Jr., Compassion in Practice: The Way of Jesus (Upper Room Books, 2016)

Today’s Question

When have you witnessed the compassion of God? Join the conversation.

Today’s Scripture

Like a parent feels compassion for their children—that’s how the LORD feels compassion for those who honor him.
—Psalm 103:13 (CEB)

Prayer for the Week

Lord, open our eyes that we may see you in our brothers and sisters.
Lord, open our ears that we may hear the cries of the hungry, the cold, the frightened, the oppressed.
Lord, open our hearts that we may love each other as you love us.
Renew in us your spirit.
Lord, free us and make us one. Amen.
—A prayer of compassion by Mother Teresa
Submit your prayer to The Upper Room.

Something More

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Lectionary Readings

  • 1 Kings 2:10-12; 3:3-14
  • Psalm 111
  • Ephesians 5:15-20
  • John 6:51-58

Read the lectionary texts courtesy of Vanderbilt Divinity Library here.

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

2 Comments

  • Jill Posted August 12, 2024 5:36 am

    I have witnessed the compassion of God via the people He sends at just the right time. I have witnessed the compassion of God when sitting with a hospice patient, as she extolled her faith and trust in Him. And God was compassionate in that my mom didn’t suffer physically in her last days.
    His compassion was with me yesterday morning at church during a worship song – taking this prodigal daughter back into His loving arms.
    Dad and I will be golfing today and then tennis this evening with some newer tennis friends and one of them I have never played with before. It has been a simple gift – getting to know other people through tennis these past few summers.

  • robert moeller Posted August 12, 2024 6:02 am

    Through me yesterday God offered compassion to people at the church picnic, God has offered comapssion to me in a time of loss and a time of financial concern. Moving forward God is helping with compassionate wisdom as problems are solved and progress is made. Thank You, Lord.
    Wonderful weather today, a walk with Russ is forthcoming.

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