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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

If we in the church practiced Jesus’ model of sharing, there would be less need for the costly care of secular psychologists. Unfortunately, the sad fact remains that church members are often strangers to one another’s pain. We may worship together, pray together, serve together, and still be totally unaware of the tears present in our sister’s or brother’s heart. The failure to provide room for the sharing of our painful stories is one reason people leave the church and go elsewhere to find healing and transformation for their broken lives. Often these other places provide people an opportunity to share their pain in a climate of acceptance and warmth that cannot be found in the church.

—Trevor Hudson, Hope Beyond Your Tears: Experiencing Christ’s Healing Love, with a foreword by Dallas Willard (Upper Room Books, 2012)

Today’s Question

How might your faith community create space for people to share their painful stories?
Join the conversation.

Today’s Scripture

Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep.
—Romans 12:15 (NRSV)

Prayer for the Week

God of Compassion, we offer you our tears—tears of release, tears of grief, tears of joy. Receive them in love, and reveal to us the healing they can bring. Amen. Submit your prayer to The Upper Room.

Something More

Throughout the season of Lent, join us for a midweek moment of prayer and worship live from The Upper Room Chapel. You can find us on Facebook or YouTube each Wednesday at 11:00 a.m. (CST).

Lectionary Readings

(Courtesy of Vanderbilt Divinity Library)

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

4 Comments

  • robert moeller Posted March 16, 2022 6:33 am

    Today’s question is excellent. I wish I knew the answer . Creating an atmosphere where people can share their pain means a level of intimacy we have a hard time allowing. There has to be trust. We acknowledge we are sinners, need God’s love. mercy, and grace. How does trust in God translate to trust in each other? We need to love each other as God loves us. Thank You, Lord for loving us. Help us to be more like You.

  • Julie Posted March 16, 2022 8:29 am

    We would need to have more small group or one on one interactions at the least. This would allow us to get to know one another better and trust could be built. I would love to initiate a small group Bible study in my new church as they have none.
    Prayers for Ally’s disability application and David’s PSA numbers and Jeremy and Scout’s health. Prayers for Jill and Roger, may Roger eat the new food and may the new insulin help him feel more himself. Prayers for Robert’s moving process. Prayers for those who visit here.

  • April Posted March 16, 2022 8:52 am

    Tears seems to be the theme this week and I certainly have had several moments when they have healed me and given me strength to carry on as full-time caregiver. Thank you, Jesus, for the gift of this emotion in the roller-coaster days.
    “Baby Tears” is the title of a poem a young doctor wrote for the funeral service of his month-old daughter. Tears of joy when she was born and tears of grief as she passed. Same with me as I remember the great times from the past and now grieve the current situation. I am told to just be patient and let rest heal. I am seeing progress; we have a long way to go to return to normal. I am looking forward to more tears of joy again.
    Thank you, NEM family, for holding me in your prayers without asking what or why. This is just what I need to strengthen me for the day. As for others I might reach out to and in response to today’s question, the reason I do not share a lot is because I do not have time/energy to explain every little detail nor answer every question the listener might have. I have taken to texting instead of FaceTime or phone calls so that I can limit my time/energy to be the best caregiver I can be. One day a friend called and questioned me for 30 minutes. I was so exhausted I wanted to cry. I went outside instead and felt the calming embrace of Jesus. My new word is “come” from Matthew 14 vs 29. Jesus said to Peter, “come” and Peter got out of the boat. That is what I do, get out of the boat (of my grief or anger or sadness) and set my eyes on Jesus who helps me walk forward toward Him.
    I am praying for our NEM family, posters or readers. Lifting our World Family to Jesus, may there be peace. Blessings to all as we start the new day.

  • Ally Posted March 16, 2022 10:55 am

    Tears have always come easy to me and when my emotions get to be too much, tears help me release those emotions. Our church is a place where the people feel free to express how they feel and can find support and comfort among our fellow church people. I thank God for this!
    Please pray for David, as he is pretty scared of what doctor will find in the biopsy. I’m worried, but trying to comfort him and not focus on worst case scenarios. We went to court yesterday and the judge accepted our offer to take care of the attorney fees. I have a lot of bitterness and anger about this: at David’s ex and her husband and the first judge we dealt with years ago who allowed himself to be manipulated by the ex and treated David very badly. Pray God will undo these knots of rancor and resentment. Also David has agreed to counseling and has an appointment at 2 today. Long road we have been on.
    Thank you so much for your prayers. Today, I am participating in a fasting and prayer day for nation of Ukraine. Lots of honesty here today. I’m honored that our NEM family is a trusted group. Prayers for all of you and your hopes, sorrows, and joys. Love you all.

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