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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

AN ALTAR, A PEW, a seat on the bus, a kitchen table: all become holy places when we confess before God. Today, in this holy place, God meets us, hears us and forgives us. In this holy place, God empowers us with genuine love to share with a hurting world. Be for God, a holy loving people.

– Valerie Bridgeman Davis and Safiyah Fosua
The Africana Worship Book

Kwasi Kena, from page 156 of The Africana Worship Book: Year A, edited by Valerie Bridgeman Davis and Safiyah Fosua. Copyright © 2006 by Discipleship Resources. Used by permission. http://bookstore.upperroom.org/ Learn more about or purchase this book.

Today’s Question

Make confession a part of your prayer time today. In the name of Jesus Christ, you are forgiven. Share your thoughts.

Today’s Scripture

For God’s foolishness is wiser than human wisdom, and God’s weakness is stronger than human strength.

1 Corinthians 1:25, NRSV

This Week: Pray for families in conflict. 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: Gabriel Francis Possenti (February 27).

Lectionary Readings

(Courtesy of Vanderbilt Divinity Library)

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

15 Comments

  • Mary Ng Shwu Ling Posted March 3, 2018 12:55 am

    Grateful for the weekends to spend time with my parents and counsel someone.

    Have a wonderful weekend everyone!

  • Jill Posted March 3, 2018 4:45 am

    Yes, in my weariness I lost track of my emotions and mind a bit yesterday – and my mind was racing like it used to. So grateful that God has rescued me from that chaos – to think how tiring it used to be. And to know how the devil will try to use that weakness, to take me back to that place. And simple surrender…it really can be and is simple when our posture is proper before Him. How pride can stand in the way…
    So very grateful to have the work week behind me. And grateful for His provisional grace – sufficient for each day. Saw my parents last evening. After a few days of strong appetite, yesterday mom had no appetite/interest in food. She did eat some dinner – knowing she needs it to get over the weakness. I will take dinner over to them this evening and eat with them. Grateful for dad’s compassion and longsuffering.

  • Lou Posted March 3, 2018 7:09 am

    God hears our prayers and our confessions- for me daily it is simply – Please help me Lord. I know he carries me when I am down and when I am weak. Yesterday I felt particularly sad and lonely- some days are like that but God sees me through. I’m trying to get my huge house and 30 years worth of stuff pared down to go on the market. It is overwhelming physically to do but also emotionally so hard- a lot of memeories to deal with that I would rather push away. Yesterday nothing seemed to go as planned. But I know it will get done and I just need to push through.
    Prayers for strength for you Jill- you are such a good daughter – it is a blessing to live close to your parents so that you can help them. My mother lives 7 hours from me and I regret that I cannot take her a meal or help her more. She has recovered from her two cardiac surgeries but feels like she doesn’t have the strength that she used to have. I wish I could be there to do more for her –
    Prayers for your mother and father also.
    Prayers for Julie in her pain –
    Thankful for Robert who always has a good word and direction for us. Prayers for him and his family –
    Prayers for Andrea’s grandson and daughter – for Betsy, Louise, Connie, April, Francesca, Marcy whom we all miss hearing from, and all of the UR faithful.
    God is near.

    • Lou Posted March 3, 2018 7:13 am

      Prayers for you also Mary- for a restful weekend and good time with your family-

      • Mary Ng Shwu Ling Posted March 3, 2018 8:24 pm

        Thanks so much Lou!

        Managed to visit my sister and her family yesterday. Grateful for sisters!

        May all be well with you and your family Lou and enjoy your weekend!

  • robert moeller Posted March 3, 2018 7:42 am

    Confessing is important, but not a easy task. Will pray for help with it today.
    Prayers for Mary, her job and family, for Lou and the task you have before you-I’m still dealing with items from my parents, God is seeing you through day by day. Hope your children can help in some way. Prayers for your Mom and her recovery from heart problems. Thankful that Jill’s Mom had more good appetite days than not, Wonderful that all four of you can be together on the weekend. Prayers for recovery, fellowship, and good news.

    Thankful for Pearl who had a great checkup yesterday and is adjusting very well. It was a positive vet visit, lots of encouragement there.

    Some fraudulent activity with my credit card, the bank, is aware and I won’t have to pay, but it will take some time to resolve. Thankful that the big storm only brought 2 inches of snow here. Prayers for those without power, lots more snow, rain, wind and damage.

    Thankful Julie has a church to attend on tv. Was in Pittsburgh once, long ago, 1957. My uncle, aunt, and two cousins lived in a suburb then. Steel was king on those days and it was a very different atmosphere. Prayers for Julie’s hands and foot.

    Anneliese had more palpitations, some severe, the monitor doesn’t transmit well there, she needs to see a doctor, has two she can go to, hope it happens soon. There are people who can help her get to the doctor.

  • Betsy Posted March 3, 2018 7:57 am

    Confessions today for thoughts of mine that are not always gracious. Impatience, frustration, and weariness often seep into my prayers throughout the day. Please forgive me, Lord. I am so blessed.

    Prayers for this special small group as we meet at the feet of God in worship this weekend.

  • Julie Posted March 3, 2018 8:23 am

    Betsy, I too confess that I often have unkind thoughts as well as anger and impatience. Mostly with the “husband.”
    Prayers for Jill’s mother’s recovery.
    Lou, I understand your feelings. My mother lives 4 hours away so I cannot help her or see her much. Prayers for you as you go through the painful process of sifting through your lifetime of memories.
    Robert, glad to hear about Pearl and how well she is doing. My kitty who was sick received a good lab report yesterday. I also read your posts with interest every day as you do have very sage advice. God bless you.
    Mary, continued prayers for your job situation as well as for your parents. Prayers for strength for you.
    Blessings, prayers and thank yoou agaain and again to each of you who lift me up each day and help me strive continually toward the Lord
    To me, every hour of the light and dark is a miracle, Every inch of space is a miracle.
    Walt Whitman (typed as written)

    • Mary Ng Shwu Ling Posted March 3, 2018 8:27 pm

      Julie, thanks so much for your prayers and may you enjoy your weekend

      Blessings

  • robert moeller Posted March 3, 2018 9:52 am

    Julie, Lou and others who have commented, I’m humbled by your comments about my posts. I don’t consider myself a sage. I try to be supportive to others.
    The Lord knows we all need support. Without God I am nothing.

    Took a 100 phrase assessment of the big five aspects, the five major traits, to
    learn more about who I am. Very helpful. Hoping that it will help me to help my son. Have a second activity to help me improve, but I’m still fathoming
    the assessment.

    So thankful that this group is so open, nonjudgemental, sharing here is quite easy. What a blessing!

  • Marcy Posted March 3, 2018 5:55 pm

    First of all, my loving, caring UR siblings, friends and family, I have been reading and praying for you all this week. I am doing my best to keep my prayers focused and strong but I am weakened terribly.

    This week I inexplicably lost not only my ACA, but MEDICAID also and I am terrified because I’m on oxygen. I even have a letter dated January 3, 2018 stating I will continue to have MEDICAID starting March 1, 2018 and that I would receive a notice if this was to change. I received no such notice. I have been told to disregard this letter. I have spent hours of every day on hold and speaking with entities in the State of Illinois, being told the case number makes no difference and I have no coverage, with one saying I still have MEDICAID, but when I called for transportation, prescriptions, I am told I have NO coverage. Back and forth since March 1st, all day on the phone every day, eight in the morning til five in the evening, up to three hours on hold and still no resolution. This is the last three days and I was already weak and exhausted prior to these developments. I will now miss the pulmonary appt that is so important, can’t afford the office call, medicines and I am terrified. I am not without hope and am ashamed to admit that my anxiety and depression are off the charts. Today’s directive for making confession, thereby receiving forgiveness is ironic. I don’t know what I did to deserve this and have been praying for forgiveness. I am in panic mode and although praying and studying the Word brings some relief, I can’t sleep or eat and get sick when I do.

    God, please help me. I am lost and truly don’t understand. However much I am weakened and may appear less than faithful:

    These three remain: Faith, Hope and Love, and the greatest of these is LOVE!

  • Marcy Posted March 3, 2018 6:01 pm

    I can’t seem to stop crying, my eyes are so swollen and my head is killing me. Dear God, I’m praying to You for respite and relief. Please answer my prayers and deliver me from this torture. Amen.

    • Mary Ng Shwu Ling Posted March 4, 2018 3:43 am

      Marcy, may God strengthen you and grant you a double portion of His grace. May He surround you with His love and hear your prayers

      Blessings

  • Andrea Posted March 3, 2018 9:12 pm

    I am praying for you now, Marcy, and keeping you in prayer. You did nothing to deserve this. God be with you; God is with you.

  • robert moeller Posted March 4, 2018 3:59 am

    Marcy, you are in my prayers. Have no idea how ACA, Medicaid works in Illinois. There has to be someone who can help you. I applaud your tenacity on the phone. God most certainly is with you.

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