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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

Regret. Guilt. Fear. Loneliness. What if . . . ? I am tired, and still the night drags on. Then I realize it all comes down to this: Can I trust you, God? Can I trust you to be who you say you are? Let me relax in the assurance that you are bigger than my greatest worry. With you I am safe. Bring peaceful sleep to this weary old body.

—Missy Buchanan, Talking with God in Old Age: Meditations and Psalms (Upper Room Books, 2010)

Today’s Question

When you’re awake in the night, what questions do you ask God? Join the conversation.

Today’s Scripture

I will both lie down and sleep in peace;
for you alone, O LORD, make me lie down in safety.

—Psalm 4:8 (NRSV)

Prayer for the Week

God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can, and wisdom to know the difference. —adapt. Reinhold Niebuhr, “The Serenity Prayer”
Submit your prayer to The Upper Room.

Something More

Author Flora Wuellner reminds us, “God’s love longs to touch and heal our inner wounds. God’s transforming power can do it!” Want to hear more? Join the Prayer, Stress, and Our Inner Wounds eCourse and author interview.

Lectionary Readings

(Courtesy of Vanderbilt Divinity Library)

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

5 Comments

  • Jill Posted June 24, 2020 6:07 am

    I think my questions recently have been molded by the questions of the psalmists. How long, O Lord? When will You rescue me? When will I understand? How will I know You are speaking and leading? And then I recount the psalms which I have memorized. I know I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases. Teach me Your way and lead me on a level path. The Lord is my light and my salvation. My help comes from the Lord, Who made heaven and earth.
    I stumbled upon Psalm 77 and there is such goodness following the laments of the first 10 verses. “I will call to mind the deeds of the Lord; I will remember His works of old. I will meditate on all Your works, and muse on Your mighty deeds. Your way, O God, is holy. What god is so great as our God? You are the God who works wonders; You have displayed Your might among the peoples.” Yes – the questions are there in the psalms, as are the answers.
    Ally – I hear your cries of concern for health and insurance and your weariness. Of course, He does to. What comfort. May you know so deep within He will provide strength for today, as you care for David and yourself. May your upcoming trip be doable for the both of you. I would say you have been through the ringer the past year or so. I would also guess that you have seen the goodness of His provision as well.
    Prayers for Marcy – may you get the needed medical attention and relief from discomfort. Keep shining through these difficult times.
    Julie – may His steadfastness continue to assure you through these difficult times.
    My check up with the dermatologist yesterday resulted in a biopsy of a spot on my forehead. Will await the pathology report.

  • Marcy Posted June 24, 2020 7:31 am

    Good day New Every Morning friends and family! I need to thank you all for keeping me in your prayers. I do realize they are what gives me the strength to keep going and in return, I offer you all the encouragement you so generously give to me. As I have said before, this is the first place I ever commented anywhere and Julie was (and is) instantly my kindred spirit. Thank you, each of you, from the center of my heart.

    If I am awake at night, it is because of pain, breathing issues or financial worries. After having heart surgery at the age of nine, I believe I gained a real coping mechanism and deep spirituality due to an incident that occurred during the surgery. The Minister from my church was there almost as much as my parents and my love for Christ grew and grew. I was sick for several years with respiratory illnesses that put my life in danger. Each time, I went to Jesus and prayed. This as in the 1960’s and medical helps were not as plentiful as today. So, now when I have sleepless nights, (which is often) I continue to seek out Christ and calm comes over me. Thank You, Jesus Christ, for walking with me throughout my life and carrying me often! I trust in You, Jesus!

    I cannot do what I did yesterday again without my helper. Due to time constraints, I had to. My right leg swelled up terribly and the pain was such that I couldn’t walk, barely making it back into my apartment. And despite the pain, when I returned home at 4 pm, I was asleep by 4:30 pm, not waking until 8 pm. Roxy had the day off and she was concerned about my going out without her, but I had no choice, as I only have her for so many hours per month. I am better this morning; we will see how well PT goes this morning. Roxy is here the rest of the week.

    Julie, would you like to have my email address? If so, let me know and I would be happy to provide it for you. You may “call” upon me at any time, my dear sister in Christ! I am praying for you each morning and evening. How is dear little Chai?

    I continue to pray for Jill and Larry, Ally and David, Lou and her children and their father, Robert and his family, Andrea and Lowell, April and her family, Rick and his husband, Rusty and K, Connie, Mary and Betsy and Grace. Francesca, Pam, Ami, BJ, Joan, Chloe and Paige, Carol and Robin and so many other names I have written down over the years, I continue to keep you in my prayers. Prayers for all who visit this wonderful site, including all in the BALCONY and beyond.

    I pray for peace, communication, understanding and change for the better and I am doing so with LOVE.

    And these three remain: Faith, Hope and Love; and the greatest of these is LOVE! Sending prayers anchored in God’s Love to you all! Have a blessed day!
    💌🙏❤🙏❤🙏❤⚓🔱❤🌄❤🌅❤🐱❤🐈❤😇❤

  • Julie Posted June 24, 2020 8:45 am

    At one time I did ruminate through the night. Then when I had horrible pain at night in my fingers and toes I spent the nights walking through the house crying and praying and wondering. As various treatments have waxed and waned, I have started to take sleeping pills and most days due to the emotional burdens I fall into bed and sleep almost immediately. I awaken in the night to attend to biology but then fall back into slumber. Otherwise I get no sleep which causes difficulty dealing with the pain.
    Prayers for Jill and her continued search of the Psalms which bring her solace and words to which she relates.
    Prayers for Marcy and Lucy Lou and that she rested as her body needed. I would love to correspond via email and humbly accept such a gracious act. Thank you for you prayers and kind words. You are a beacon of faith despite hardships, may all learn from your sage example.
    Prayers for Ally and David and for strength and protection as they travel for a much deserved celebration. Ally, I hear your cries and your worry and I remember all these months that God saw yyou and David through. Bringing healing from COVID 19 including release from the ventilator, seeing you boththrough the time of separation and returning David home. You both continue to improve despite past health issues. I believe God will continue to see you through your job search. Just remember to not ignore the boat when he sends one your way.
    Prayers for April and her continued time outside among God’s creation and her lovely words which capture its beauty.
    Megan will be home late tonight or the wee hours of tomorrow. Chai is eating though I have suffered bites when I give him his meds. This is inadvertent on his part as I must put my fingers in his mouth due to my lack of hand strength and dexterity because of the Reynauld’s. I am next focused on getting h to agree to self quarentine after he returns from Myrtle Beach where they have had a huge surge in COVID 19 and scores of people have returned to home states and spread it among the population.
    Prayers, thank you and stay healthy dear UR one and all

  • Ally Posted June 24, 2020 10:49 am

    Most nights I wake around 3 AM. Most of the time, I roll over and go right back to sleep. Every so often, I wake and can’t go back to sleep. My feels like it can’t rest. My thoughts seem to race. Every worry I have takes over. Yes, I know I should trust the Lord. This week, I have been asking, “why did this lay-off happen after everything we have been through over this last year?”;”will I find another job?”. “The new year seemed to be full of so much promise. What happened?” At this point, I often pick up my Bible and pray some favorite Psalms. They calm my heart and brain, usually allowing me to fall back asleep. Sometimes though, I watch the dawn come in. Jill, I see that you too find comfort in the Psalms. I will be praying about your biopsy. Thank you so much for the reminder of how God has brought us through and the works God has done. Marcy, I pray that you feel relief from pain. Thank you for sharing how God has used the happenings in your life to draw you closer. I’m thankful that you have Roxy to help you. Praying that little Lucy Lou is feeling better too!. Julie, I pray for situation with H and that God will not only give you what you need, but will work ins H’s heart. Prayers continue for little Chai and little Tazzie. Thank you for reminding how God has worked in my and David’s life this year. Thanks to all of you for holding us up in prayer. Again I claim Isaiah 43–that God is doing a new thing and will make a way. Bless you all.

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