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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

REMEMBER OUR BAPTISM means embracing the commitment to grow in the likeness of Jesus and to live in the power of his Spirit. Are you living consciously in the presence and power of God throughout everyday life?

– Philip R. Meadows
Remembering Our Baptism

From Remembering Our Baptism: Baptism and Mission in the Wesleyan Spirit by Philip R. Meadows. Copyright © 2018 by Discipleship Resources. All rights reserved. Used by permission of Discipleship Resources. http://bookstore.upperroom.org/ Learn more about or purchase this book.

Today’s Question

What does living in the power of the spirit mean to you? Share your thoughts.

Today’s Scripture

“And now I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect them in your name that you have given me, so that they may be one, as we are one.”

John 17:11, NRSV

This Week: pray for those who feel left out. 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: John of Avila (May 10).

Lectionary Readings

(Courtesy of Vanderbilt Divinity Library)

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

11 Comments

  • Jill Posted May 12, 2018 5:46 am

    For me – living in the power of the Spirit is trying to constantly tap in to His leading, His strength, while being well aware of my weaknesses, which include, thinking I can do things in my strength. Pretty ironic. Learning to not exist on auto-pilot, but to be intentional. To always reach back to Scripture, to an awareness of the Biblical characteristics of love (1 Cor 13), to godly wisdom (end of James 3)…to my mantra from Psalm 5 – Lead me, O LORD, in Your righteousness. Living aware of The Spirit more than my flesh.
    Grateful that mom has had several consecutive good days. Today – if she is feeling well enough – we will take her to a local greenhouse/nursery to pick out some flowers – our usual Mother’s Day tradition. Grateful to take a walk after dinner, skies cleared following some rain. Somehow the walk energized me a bit, enough for me to trim back my hydrangea bushes. Grateful for a few moments with a colleague at the end of school – she is a Believer and she asked how my mom was doing. She lost her dad a few years ago and she was an encouragement to me.
    An early “Happy Mother’s Day” to all moms here in this family.

    • Kelley C Posted May 12, 2018 6:28 am

      Thank you for your insight! May God bless you deeply through your journey with your Mother. Happy Mother’s Day.

  • Gail Churchill Posted May 12, 2018 6:41 am

    Living in the spirit. . .seizing or capturing those thoughts which come to mind. . .and acting on them. Without consulting others. Or rationalizing why the good things are impractical or inconvenient or won’t work. . .

    All good things come from God. When I am living in the Spirit it is much harder to give way to unrighteous actions or evil things. So I tend to do less what I want, when I am doing what the Spirit suggests. Being intentional.

    • Gail Churchill Posted May 12, 2018 6:48 am

      For example, yesterday it came to mind that I should call a woman who lives in the retirement community where my mother lived before she passed. And I haven’t taken the time to do it yet. A little thing that may mean alot to her (and me too!)

  • robert moeller Posted May 12, 2018 7:19 am

    One minute I think I have an idea what living in the spirit means and the next minute I am quite unsure. I know, want to believe that Christ is in me, but I can be absorbed in activities that somehow seem not what Christ would do.
    For example, I am on a search for the HO scale cars that ran on the railroad I’ modeling.

    Thankful that my car had needed, but quite unexpected, repairs yesterday and they will enable me to meet my sister today for lunch. We live about 3 hours apart and get together now and then.

    Read the posts from Mary, Andrea, Julie, and Jill, hope I haven’t forgotten anyone, yesterday. Very thankful for them and I will respond. I need to get ready in order to meet my sister on time. Have a spirit filled day and a great weekend.

    • Mary Ng Shwu Ling Posted May 12, 2018 9:46 am

      Robert, may you have a wonderful trip and a great time with your sister

  • Julie Posted May 12, 2018 7:53 am

    It is only through living within God’s power that I may try to over come my human weaknesses and strive to live more fully within his likeness and image. I am weak and need His strength.
    Prayers for two new members of our family. Welcome Gail and Kelley.
    Prayers for Robert. I believe what you do with your railroad models are something that would cause God to smile. He would want you to enjoy the life He gave you and be proud that you are honoring your heritage and history. Prayers for a safe trip and a happy visit with your sister.
    Prayers for Jill and Gloria and all of your family this weekend as you spend time together honoring Gloria. I pray all goes well.
    Blessings and prayers for and thank you to all of the UR family.
    The world does not know how much it owes to the common kindnesses which so abound everywhere.
    J. R. Miller, “The Beauty of Kindness”

    • Mary Ng Shwu Ling Posted May 13, 2018 6:27 am

      Yes, Julie, may God be our source of strength

      Blessings

  • Andrea Posted May 12, 2018 8:52 am

    This afternoon I am visiting my daughter. I ask for your prayers again. Please pray for help for me walking on eggshells and please pray for my daughter. First, I will walk in an old, ethnic neighborhood on the other side of the metro area with a group of friends.

    I am grateful for a hike yesterday with my husband on a nature trail running along a beautiful rushing creek in a ravine. I feel closest to God in nature.

    May those who feel left out find companionship to allay loneliness.

    Prayers for Jill and her family, and their traditional visit to a nursery for Mother’s Day flowers. Prayers for Robert’s visit with his sister, and for Erich and Anneliese. Prayers for Julie, Marcy, Lou and her children, Mary and her parents and job, Connie and her husband, Betsy and her church congregation, April, Pam, for those whose names I’ve overlooked, and for those who you name in your prayers. Welcome and prayers for new visitors, Gail and Kelley – Gail, do I remember an occasional comment from you in the past? Prayers for UR visitors who do not leave comments. May we all be aware of God’s grace in our lives and live each moment anchored in God’s love for us and faithfulness through our joys, sorrows, and trials.

    Wishing all a blessed weekend.

    • Mary Ng Shwu Ling Posted May 13, 2018 6:25 am

      Andrea, may you and your daughter have a good bonding time together

      Blessings

  • Mary Ng Shwu Ling Posted May 12, 2018 9:44 am

    Looking forward to celebrate mother’s Day tomorrow

    Wishing all mothers a very happy and memorable mother’s Day celebration

    Blessings to all

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