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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

Prayer, worship, practicing the presence of God—these are things that will keep us close to God when we start to feel overwhelmed at the work set before us. Jesus has shown us how to lead and how to care for our souls. He has shown us how to stay close to God, even as he gathered a new community and taught and healed and traveled. Let’s lean on Jesus as we go about our lives and ministries and remember that the church doesn’t live on our strength alone; it lives only by the power of God. It’s not all on us! We can’t ruin what God has established, so let’s give ourselves a break and remember the unforced rhythms of grace.

—Junius B. Dotson, Soul Reset: Breakdown, Breakthrough, and the Journey to Wholeness (Upper Room Books, 2019)

Today’s Question

What expressions of grace might you encounter if you lean on Jesus today? Join the conversation.

Today’s Scripture

He said to me, “My grace is enough for you, because power is made perfect in weakness.” So I’ll gladly spend my time bragging about my weaknesses so that Christ’s power can rest on me.
—2 Corinthians 12:9, CEB

Prayer for the Week

God of new beginnings, help us to reset and reorder our lives around your love, grace, and goodness. Amen.
Submit your prayer to The Upper Room.

Something More

Join us for the next online Academy Day Apart retreat, Praying the Psalms in Lent and Beyond: Shaping a Justice Imagination, with Gabby Cudjoe-Wilkes and Andrew Wilkes. On March 18, 2023, we will focus on the spiritual practices of silence and contemplation as we journey intentionally through this Lenten season. Learn more and register here.

Lectionary Readings

(Courtesy of Vanderbilt Divinity Library)

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

4 Comments

  • robert moeller Posted February 5, 2023 6:54 am

    I’ll encounter the expressions of grace Jesus selects for me. Jesus knows my needs better than I know myself. Thank You, Lord.
    Not so cold today, it’s above zero. The wind has died down.
    The bread and juice are ready for pastoral blessing that will come via Extended Table on the internet. Thankful we have this way to serve Communion with no pastor here.
    We sure hope everyone who needed warm shelter had it Friday night. CCUMC was open, warm, and ready.
    Our interim Bishop, Peggy Johnson, has been installed, we are thankful to have her, even if it is for a short 1.5 years. She came out of retirement to serve the New England Conference.
    Prayers for the NEM community of faith. I need to catch up with you, hopefully later today.
    Thank You, Lord.

    • Ally Posted February 5, 2023 10:05 am

      Robert, I’m thankful to hear your weather is moderating and you have a bishop. Praise the Lord.

  • Ally Posted February 5, 2023 10:03 am

    Good morning, all. I want to start by answering some previous questions: what reminds me God is bigger: when I see Justice come to those who need it: oppression conquered, someone repents of racism, my community comes together to help those in need. The power and beauty of the ocean, vivid fall color in the north Georgia Blue Ridge Mountains on an October day. The small miracles that surprise me on days when I need to see them.
    What could help me do a hard reset: a day spent in solitude, prayer, meditation on scripture, and listening I need to listen for God’s voice. There is a monastery not far away which offers accommodations for personal retreat. It would be wonderful to spend a weekend there. Not possible right now, but perhaps I can carve out a few hours to spend in a quiet place such as our library. It has some lovely spots with nice views of the old GA state Capitol building and some nice green space. Our neighbor has volunteered to stay with David for a few hours if I need to get away.
    Expressions of grace: I find those here at NEM, through the encouragement and support of my family and friends. Even though I sometimes feel overwhelmed and alone, I am not: I ask God to make me aware of God’s presence, and to hear and see God at work and to know God sees and hears me. Please continue your prayers for David and me. Love to all.

  • Jill Posted February 5, 2023 1:24 pm

    Today I experienced some very kind words from a few people at the cancer support meeting. The discussion for our meeting was based off of Lamentations 3:21-22. This passage holds much significance for me. I rarely share at the meeting, but today I joined the discussion. Afterwards, two ladies came and spoke to me, thanking me for my words. I am trusting God was glorified.
    It was wonderfully sunny this morning, for my drive up to the meeting. Now the clouds are here. I am spending some time grading before my tennis match.
    So good to be in the House of the Lord today, on His day, with His people. How desperately we need Him. The sermon was on church unity and how essential it is that we get that right, so that the unsaved will see it. It was Christ’s prayer in John 17.
    The week ahead begins hecticly for me…an appointment with my dermatologist tomorrow after school, and a staff meeting and my god son’s basketball game Tuesday.

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