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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

BEING IN THE PRESENT MOMENT is no easy task, especially when we are interrupted by someone who needs our attention at a crucial time in some project. But attentiveness is what stability asks of us; this is how we express hospitality as we let go of what we are doing and pay attention to the person who needs our love. Hospitable stability says yes to the present moment whether it brings discomfort or joy, boredom or excitement, because it always offers us the opportunity to welcome the Christ presence into consciousness and to refuse an easy escape into the fantasy world of self-fulfillment. We can only be fully ourselves when we know who we are as members of the community of faith, serving one another in partnership with God.

– Elizabeth J. Canham
Heart Whispers

From page 46 of Heart Whispers: Benedictine Wisdom for Today by Elizabeth J. Canham. Copyright © 1999 by Elizabeth J. Canham. All rights reserved. Used by permission of Upper Room Books. http://bookstore.upperroom.org/ Learn more about or purchase this book.

Today’s Question

What is the connection between being in the present moment and hospitality? Share your thoughts.

Today’s Scripture

In this way God fulfilled what he had foretold through all the prophets, that his Messiah would suffer. Repent therefore, and turn to God so that your sins may be wiped out.

Acts 3:18-19, NRSV

This Week: pray for increased faith. 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: Dietrich Bonhoeffer(April 9).

Lectionary Readings

(Courtesy of Vanderbilt Divinity Library)

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

9 Comments

  • Betsy Posted April 9, 2018 6:59 am

    Being in the present and in the role of servant asks us to minister to others who are before us at that moment. It asks us to be fully attentive to the person in front of us. Not always an easy task. Being involved in a church family or small group offers us many opportunities to be true servants. Open my heart, Lord, to be your servant.
    Blessings to all here for a product and spirit filled week!

  • robert moeller Posted April 9, 2018 7:06 am

    I think to be truly hospitable one has to be fully present in the present moment and do all of what hospitality entails. I’m not so good at the hospitality, but do much better when it is s student who needs, wants help.

    Coincidentally Dietrich Bonhoeffer was born on the day my army buddy, Lou Hascker, passed away. Both were Lutherans and either German or German-American. Lou’s Dad fought in Germany in WWII.

    Thankful for the help Rosina Wallace and her brother are receiving. They have an apartment, Rosina continues to work at her two day a week job. She’s 71. Contributions have come in from around the state.

    Erich is diligent in his job search, makes wonderful meals, cleans the house, and we’re thinking of painting it now that it is so thoroughly cleaned. Hopeful that Anneliese wll have pain management treatment soon, her back needs help, recovery from her heart problem and Lyme disease continues. House maintenance going well with a reliable handyman.

    Prayers for Gloria and her up coming treatment, for her support team, Larry, Jill, and Becky. Prayers for Marcy’s health and well being, Julie’s hands, foot, and relationship concern, praying for safety and resolution; for Betsy, Andrea and her family, Lou and the house search-purchase-move, Mary, her job and parents, Ken, Mark, Louise, Francesca, Joan, Louise, Rusty, and long time poster Connie. The Lord is with you as we begin a new week. Thank You Lord.

    • Mary Ng Shwu Ling Posted April 9, 2018 9:32 am

      Thanks Robert

      Prayingg that Erich will find something he enjoys doing even if it is part time work and Anneliese to have a speedy recovery. May God’s healing touch be upon her.

      blessings

  • Julie Posted April 9, 2018 7:58 am

    I believe part of hospitality involves being completely present in the moment. This includes noticing our surroundngs. Like the Samaritan who was present and aware saw the traveler lying on the opposite side of the road, we, too, must be aware of those God has sent for us to provide our hospitality.
    Prayers for Betsy and her family.
    Prayers for Robert, Erich and his job search, Annaliese and her pain and heart, and Robert’s church family who needs to rebuild their lives following a devastating fire.
    Prayers for all who visit this warm site of supportive prayer family and their concerns both shared and noot shared. I record each and lift each in prayer to God every day. “You are written on my heart”
    Be noble! and the nobleness that lies
    In other men, sleeping but never dead,
    Will rise in majesty to meet thine own.
    James Russell Lowell

  • Andrea Posted April 9, 2018 8:32 am

    Yes, I need to work on hospitality, particularly with my husband. It is so easy to tune him out when he is relating something that doesn’t particularly interest me. At this stage in our lives, I should take nothing for granted. I am thankful for each day we are both alert and independent.

    It is difficult to define what faith means to me as it seems it cannot be easily put into words. But I would say a major part of faith is the decision to persist with belief in God’s faithfulness to us, and to persist in our commitment to serve God however we can, even when circumstances are tough, until our final moment of awareness.

    Blessings to all in the week ahead.

  • Connie Posted April 9, 2018 8:37 am

    “I have the peace that passeth understanding down in my soul”

    I am not as hospitable as I would like, but I know we may be entertaining Angels unaware, and should try to do better.

  • robert moeller Posted April 9, 2018 8:11 pm

    Agree fully Betsy, Julie, Andrea and Connie. Thank you Mary, Julie, and Andrea for your prayers.

    Had a good long walk today, Erich helped with food shopping and made great pork lo mein for supper.

    .

    • Mary Ng Shwu Ling Posted April 10, 2018 2:04 am

      Praise God for Erich!

      He is such a blessing to you, Robert!

      • robert moeller Posted April 10, 2018 2:23 am

        Yes, Mary, I am very thankful for his help.

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