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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

Today I am learning to be gentler with myself, to not hold myself to higher standards than I do everyone else, to know the things I need in place to maintain emotional and mental health, and to accept my humanity and my weaknesses and honor them by eating, sleeping, and moving my body.

I am trying. I do my best every day and hope it will be enough.

This is who I am today. This is how far I can see of who I am becoming.

—Lauren Burdette, This Life That Is Ours: Motherhood as Spiritual Practice (Upper Room Books, 2019)

Today’s Question

Take time to wonder: Who are you today? [question from This Life That Is Ours] Join the conversation.

Today’s Scripture

Put on my yoke, and learn from me. I’m gentle and humble. And you will find rest for yourselves.
—Matthew 11:29 (CEB)

Prayer for the Week

Dear God, may I see my moments of strength and my moments of weakness as invitations to draw more closely to you. Amen. [prayer adapted from from This Life That Is Ours]
Submit your prayer to The Upper Room.

Something More

While personal reflection is the most popular use of The Upper Room daily devotional, did you know there are many other ways to use it in your ministry? Here are eight of our favorite ways to encourage daily life with God in your congregation (and beyond) with The Upper Room. Read more here.

Lectionary Readings

(Courtesy of Vanderbilt Divinity Library)

Ascension of the Lord

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

2 Comments

  • robert moeller Posted May 9, 2024 5:46 am

    I’m not the same, every momemt i’m changing, science tells us so. By the calendar a day older. Cleaner after a morning shower. Hopefully my faith is stronger, deeper. Thankful for this and every day. Prayers for NEM, the end of “awaiting moderation”, the prayers on our church prayer list,
    and for progress dealing with climate change/global warming. Thank You, Lord.

  • Jill Posted May 9, 2024 6:56 pm

    Who am I today? I am a person longing for an answer to my discomfort. I am a teacher – trying to get through these next three weeks. I am an expectant student – anxious to get into the coursework for my training. I am a daughter – trying to carefully manage, with my sister, my aging dad’s needs while respecting and honoring him. I am a companion – walking beside a person from my grief group, whose life seems to continue to unravel, with complex relationship issues. I am God’s child – dearly loved, with a future secure in His hand. I am a friend, to my newly divorced bestie; to my relatively new tennis friend – also trying to get back from surgery (double knee replacement); to my longtime travel companion and fellow Christ follower. I am my kittens’ mom – treasuring their cuteness, characteristics and siblingness.
    Dad and I have a tee-time for Sunday. Weather looks poor Saturday, so going to give it a whirl Sunday. He has golfed twice with his buddies this week and seems to be able to handle 18 holes on a regular golf course. Hopefully he will be able to do the same with me, this summer, as the temperatures rise.
    School continues at a super leisurely pace, now that my year 2 students are in the midst of their testing. I am able to get a lot of reading done, and today prepared my exams for my two year 1 courses. Three weeks from today is the last day of exams. Definitely seems doable.
    Tennis season begins next week – and I am looking forward to it.
    Thinking of Andrea, caring for Lowell. Of Lou, and how her mom progressed through her procedure. Of Julie, and her new normal. Of April, as her caregiving continues. And Robert and his noticeable continued absence.

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