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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 YOU ARE UNSURE about your belovedness, I invite you to listen deeply to the Spirit of God. Listen to the Spirit whisper in your own depths that you are God’s beloved. And as you claim your own belovedness, begin to see others also as God’s beloved, so that we can participate in our belovedness together. We in the church are not God’s elite. God has no favorites. Remember that scripture says, “For God so loved the world.” Let us begin to see beyond race, beyond culture, beyond gender, beyond sexual orientation, beyond religion, beyond all these externals and see each other as God’s beloved. When we relate to others as God relates to us, our sense of being God’s beloved deepens even more.

– Trevor Hudson and Stephen D. Bryant
The Way of Transforming Discipleship

From page 25 of The Way of Transforming Discipleship by Trevor Hudson and Stephen D. Bryant. Copyright © 2005 by Upper Room Books. All rights reserved. Used by permission. http://bookstore.upperroom.org/ Learn more about or purchase this book.

Today’s Question

Look for ways to show others that they are beloved by God.  Share your thoughts.

Today’s Scripture

“I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Whoever eats of this bread will live forever; and the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh.”

John 6:15, NRSV

This Week: pray for church study groups and Sunday school classes. Submit your prayer to The Upper Room Living Prayer Center or share it in the comment section.

Did You Know?

In need of prayer? The Upper Room Living Prayer Center is a 7-day-a-week intercessory prayer ministry staffed by trained volunteers. Call 1-800-251-2468 or visit The Living Prayer Center website.

This week we remember: Maximilian Kolbe (August 14).

Lectionary Readings

(Courtesy of Vanderbilt Divinity Library)

Sponsored by Upper Room Ministries ®. Copyright © 2018 | PO Box 340004 | Nashville, TN 37203-0004 | USA

4 Comments

  • Mary Ng Shwu Ling Posted August 18, 2018 7:32 am

    Father God, I commit all church study groups and sunday school classes into your hands. May you bless all study group leaders and sunday school leaders. May they continue to learn and grow in christlikeness.

    Blessings!

  • robert moeller Posted August 18, 2018 7:49 am

    Thank you April for your kind words, I’m not in a race to be the first to post or be a model for anyone, I just wake up early and love to start the day with the UR daily reflection. If my words help anyone, it is only because God made it possible.

    I was proud of what Erich told the person who called to offer an $11 an hour job. He offered to work for a week and then talk about pay, that offer was not accepted. While he needs a job, he doesn’t need the problems that kind of work has brought him. I’m thankful that he can be patient. There are many who can not and have no choice but to take the poor pay this tough work requires. Before I new what this kind of work entails, I was always considerate of those who do it, I cleaned up after myself.

    Love the cat story from Jill, surely can understand the “hole” with that biting.
    Cats have behaviors we don’t understand, am sure the reverse is true too.

    Prayers for all going back to school – teacher, student, support staff as well as those who support education – parents, towns, cities, and the nation. Education requires participation by all of us. May this be a very safe school year. I think back to my years of going to school, they surely were safe times, wish it was like that now.

    Visiting a trolley museum caught my attention, hope it was fun and there was a chance for a ride. I enjoy them and have ridden them and their cousins – the subway or elevated railway in many places.

    Prayers for Marcy, Julie, Anneliese, and all who have medical, well-being issues of any kind. The Lord is with you.

    Thankful for relationships that are helpful and strong, prayers that broken relationships be mended or resolved in ways that are best for all concerned.
    There are times when that means separation. Lord, may Your guidance be followed.

    Lots of rain here last night, hope today’s “holy hike” is a reality. I’m very looking forward to it. Have to get ready and be on my way there.

    Blessings, God’s love, grace, and mercy to you all,

  • Julie Posted August 18, 2018 8:25 am

    There were 2 posts today. I received both and I am glad I checked each one. Some have responded on the other and not here and vice versa.
    So I will add soome prayers here.
    Prayers for Robert and Erich. Erich sounds quite savy. This should come in handy as Robert and Erich move forward in seeking Erich’s future employment.
    Prayers for Mary as she continues to teach in a stressful and burdensome situation.
    Prayers, again, for all who visit this warm and welcoming group of kind hearts and wise souls
    Thank you for your prayers, my life is indeed still frought with discord and fear and uncertainty
    See the the other reflection for the discourse on the praying mantis that I am grateful God graced me with today….

    • Mary Ng Shwu Ling Posted August 18, 2018 9:24 am

      Thanks dear Julie!

      Thank you God for Julie.

      May you remove her fears and surround her with your love, O God!

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