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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

Into your arms, loving Lord, let me “freefall,”
upheld by your goodness and mercy.
Secure in your embrace,
show me how to love without effort,
trust without fear,
and live with abandon.

– Sam Hamilton-Poore
Earth Gospel

From page 106 of Earth Gospel: A Guide to Prayer for God’s Creation by Sam Hamilton-Poore. Copyright © 2008 by Sam Hamilton-Poore. All rights reserved. Used by permission of Upper Room Books. http://bookstore.upperroom.org/ Learn more about or purchase this book.

Today’s Question

Pray today’s prayer. Share your thoughts.

Today’s Scripture

Little children, let no one deceive you. Everyone who does what is right is righteous, just as he is righteous.

Acts 3:7, 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

15 Comments

  • Mary Ng Shwu Ling Posted April 13, 2018 6:00 am

    Yes, Lord, in your living arms, let me freefall for i am confident you are there to catch me.

    Grateful for the weekends and looking forward to celebrate my dad’s birthday this Sunday

    Blessings to all and have a fabulous weekend

  • Andrea Posted April 13, 2018 7:02 am

    “You can fall no deeper than God’s arms.”
    May we live with abandon, unafraid of falling.

    Happy birthday to your father, dear Mary.

    Prayers for Jill, who has not commented for awhile, and her family, and for Marcy, and for all dear UR friends.

    There’s a big rain, then a big snowstorm, predicted here. Prayers for safety on the roads.

    Blessings this weekend.

    • Mary Ng Shwu Ling Posted April 13, 2018 8:06 am

      Thanks dear Andrea!

      Blessings and may all be well with you.

      I missed Jill too

      Hope everything is well with her and her family

  • robert moeller Posted April 13, 2018 7:26 am

    Thankful for the diligent prayers from the UR family. A new key board and access to Word are helpful for the job search. Erich had an interview yesterday, he’s more interested in a job working with animals, but is eager to go to work. Had car maintenance yesterday. Thank You, Lord.

    What a blessed thought to free fall in to Jesus’ arms! As children of God this is possible. Lord, help us to keep our faith and abide with You.

    Prayers for Jill, her Mom, Dad, and sister through this tough valley. May Marcy receive the help and care she needs. We are eager to hear from her.
    Thankful for the blessings You bestow on the UR family and all of your children. In Jesus’ name, I pray, Amen.

  • Julie Posted April 13, 2018 7:52 am

    Trust without fear, live with abandon. Yes, oh yes Lord may I learn from you to be this person.
    Prayers of blessings for Mary and her father on his birthday.
    Prayers for Andrea, Lowell and their daughter and grandson. I pray for Andrea and her daughter to have only loving communication with each other.
    Prayers for Robert and Erich. May Erich find a job that excites and nourishes him.
    Yes, I too, miss Jill and Marcy. I believe Jill is traveling this week. I pray Marcy has reestablished her medical insurance.
    Blessings and prayers for and thank you to all of the UR family. I thank you Lord for the blessing of these warm friends who unconditionally support one another. In Christ’s name Amen.
    The difference between ordinary and extraordinary is that little extra.
    Jimmy Johnson

    • Mary Ng Shwu Ling Posted April 13, 2018 8:09 am

      Thanks dear Julie!

      May all be well with you and your family

      Blessings

    • Andrea Posted April 13, 2018 4:51 pm

      Thank you, Julie, I appreciate your prayers. Praying for you, your home situation, and your health. Blessings.

  • Connie Posted April 13, 2018 8:19 am

    Happy Birthday to Mary’s Dad. Hope he feels in “tip-top” shape on his special day.
    Hope Jill is relaxing and enjoying.
    Prayers for Marcy, Andrea, Julie, Robert, Lou and all.
    I am falling backward and I know God will catch me and hold me tight.
    “I love Thee, Oh Lord my Strength. Thou art my Rock and my Fortress and my Deliverer”

    • Mary Ng Shwu Ling Posted April 13, 2018 9:13 am

      Thanks Connie!

      So glad my dad can celebrate his birthday at home and not in the hospital

      May all be well with you and your family

      Blessings

    • Andrea Posted April 13, 2018 4:49 pm

      Thank you, Connie. Prayers for you as you fall into God’s arms. Blessings.

  • Kenneth Miller Posted April 13, 2018 11:13 am

    As I think about the word “Freefall” I immediately thought of how this perfectly described my life when it was out of control for the first 10 years I was in the Navy, young, fearless and living on my own. I felt I was invincible and could live a partying, drinking and drugging lifestyle without God. I soon fell so far from Grace, that I realized I had hit “bottom”. I woke up one morning on the floor of someone’s apartment, suffering from a major hangover, and finally realized that my life was spinning out of control and in a “Freefall”. Only by the grace of God, did he put people into my life to wake me up and get me the help I needed. My Chief looked me dead in the eyes and said” Ken, you have a serious drinking problem and I’m going to give you two choices. You can volunteer for 6 weeks of in-house rehabilitation (We call it “Dry Dock”) or I can kick you out of the Navy right now. One more thing, I do want you to know that I see a lot of “Potential” in you. I began to cry…this statement gave me the hope I needed to hear… and after thinking about this for a grand total of 2 micro seconds… I told Chief that I wanted and needed the re-hab help and would like to save my life and my Navy career. I transferred off the ship the next day on Sept 23rd, 1985 and checked into the “Drydock” facility. By the grace of God my “Freefall” ended that day and I have been sober ever since! Praise God! Alleluia!!
    I completed the dry-dock program (I needed an extra week) and when it ended, we didn’t have a graduation program from the course like one would think, we had instead a “Commencement” ceremony. My Chief who sent me here was in the audience that day to show his support for me. Why a commencement ceremony I asked? Because now you are going back into the real world to commence living a new new and sober life. How profound is that statement! I found my Chief and gave him a great big hug and told him thank-you to his face for helping me save my life! Additionally with the help of the Navy counselors in re-hab and the Alcoholics Annonymous (AA) daily meetings, I lovingly found God again and asked him for forgiveness and that I needed him back in my life again. He accepted me back!
    I believe that we all have moments of freefall in our lives. Knowing that God has been and is always there for us (Think “Footprints), he gives us the encouragement and hope we need to press on, succeed and accomplish his will in our lives. When we find ourselves in freefall, ask God for his help he will be there for us always. We just have to ask…
    I pray blessings of hope and peace be with all of you in this blessed faithful community.
    Keeping Faith Alive!
    Ken

    • robert moeller Posted April 13, 2018 11:33 am

      Thankful for your story and witness. Grateful to that Chief who helped your career and you are now retired Navy or as the Army says, a soldier for life.

      Each one of us has problems and turning to God makes all the difference.
      Prayers and the opportunity for worship lead me on the path I followed in my active duty time. I asked God to send me where He wanted me to go. Two weeks before I ended infantry school , the light weapons infantrymen in my company and a sister company learned we were not going to Vietnam, but Alaska, Panama, Germany, or Korea. I ended up in Korea and that lead to another path. Thankfully it has been, for the most part a good one.

      • Mary Ng Shwu Ling Posted April 13, 2018 6:33 pm

        Thank you Ken and Robert for sharing your powerful testimonies

        Blessings

  • robert moeller Posted April 13, 2018 11:37 am

    Yes, most decidedly yes, a happy healthy birthday for Mary’s Dad. Hope it is a very joyous and blessed day. Lots to be thankful for. He has been through quite an experience and recovering very well.

    Happy Birthday Mary’s Dad!

    • Mary Ng Shwu Ling Posted April 13, 2018 6:31 pm

      Thanks Robert!

      Blessings

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