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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

BAPTISM IS A COMMITMENT to practical mentoring. Jesus said, “Teach them to obey everything I have commanded you.” On the one hand, doing this “as we go” means that our teaching wil be rooted in the witness and example of our daily lives. On the other hand, the emphasis is on the word “obey” rather than “everything.” In other words, the real challenge is not merely helping new disciples to understand all the commands of Jesus, but helping them to put his teaching into practiced. The perennial challenge facing discipleship is not knowing what we should do; it is doing what we already know we should do. In other words, the challenge is obedience. Equally, discipleship training is not about slavish legalism to an impossible standarad of values and rules. It is about a way of life that is marked by joyful obedience, flowing from the heart of our new identity as children of God.

– Philip R. Meadows
Remembering Our Baptism

From page 21 of Remembering Our Baptism: Discipleship and Mission in the Wesleyan Spirit by Philip R. Meadows. Copyright © 2017 by Philip R. Meadows. All rights reserved. Used by permission of Discipleship Resources. http://bookstore.upperroom.org/ Learn more about or purchase this book.

Today’s Question

How do you see yourself as a mentor to someone baptized in your church? Share your thoughts.

Today’s Scripture

Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the presence of his brothers; and the spirit of the LORD came mightily upon David from that day forward. Samuel then set out and went to Ramah.

1 Samuel 16:13, NRSV

This Week: pray for those who need comfort. 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: Anthony of Padua (June 13).

Lectionary Readings

(Courtesy of Vanderbilt Divinity Library)

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

8 Comments

  • robert moeller Posted June 11, 2018 6:11 am

    Have only been at this church a little over a year. Think there is only been one baptism, Ben. I’m in contact with his parents and of course can pray for him and his sisters.

    Am very thankful for Marcy’s posts, despite her health problems, her posts are amazing, to sum them up in one word. We are all blessed by them. I see a comparison between Paul’s letters from prison so long ago and Marcy’s posts from her apartment.

    I too delight in Andrea’s posts from South Dakota. Have never been there, but my wife, Soo Ok had an aunt whose husband came from Mobridge. Because of him my Army Reserve career began. He was a rancher who later through UNDP and US government agricultural programs went around the world helping farmers with raising cattle. He rose to colonel in the Army Reserve, and moved to Texas where his children went to Texas A&M.

    Before 1914 being of German heritage was easier, but two world wars surely put a damper on that, and for a time that was rightly so. Thankfully there have been improvements and Germany is not the country of those times. I pray those times never return and lessons have been learned.

    The Black Hills, gold, and Native Americans also remind me of New England, land, and Native Americans. Despite the peaceful days of the Pilgrim’s Thanksgiving we now celebrate, very nasty and decimating wars were fought here and Native Americans suffered greatly. Some tribes have only recently been recognized by states. My New England heritage quite possibly is tainted by this history.

    The truth of the matter is that we are all sinners and without Jesus there is no hope. Thank You, Lord, for Your precious gift. The world is a long way from the obedience to Christ that is needed for the kingdom to come. Lord , have mercy.

    Prayers for positive results from the Singapore Summit. If anyone can bring a positive result from this, it is God. Most assuredly His help is essential.

    Hope I have not gone on too long or strayed from the truth.

    Blessings to all of you, may your day be Holy Spirit filled.

  • Jill Posted June 11, 2018 6:33 am

    I, like Robert, am pretty new to my church. However – I look forward to mentoring my student who was baptized yesterday. She just graduated and will be attending college in California. However – we have time this summer and will be meeting up to take walks and talk. Her baptism yesterday was beautiful. She has a pretty remarkable story. There was a video of her telling it yesterday prior to her baptism. I knew some parts of her story, but not most of it. God is doing a work in her.
    Attended another graduation party last evening. Got to see some former students who had been away at college this year.
    Praying that Marcy will be able to easily get to her doctor’s appt today and there will be needed help forthcoming.

  • Bets Posted June 11, 2018 7:02 am

    The church in our former home assigned mentors to young people when they were of age to join the church through public confession. We were tasked to pray for and meet regularly with the young person. That is the closest thing to the mentor idea mentioned here.

    Marcy, you are a true prayer warrior! I felt such a comfort going back and reading your posts from yesterday. Your strong fAith and love in the Lord shines through in your words. Thank you for your unwavering spirit and prayers. I pray that you get relief from your breathing problems. I’m reminded of Phil 4:13- “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” Prayers for you, Friend.

  • Julie Posted June 11, 2018 7:51 am

    Praayers for Marcy and her appoitment.
    Prayers for Robert, Jill, and Betsy. Please keep Betsy and her husband safe as they travel.
    I try to remember the verse from Betsy. I have oftened turned to this and other reassurances that are found throughout the Bible.
    Will look at a house today. Afraid of my daughter’s reaction. We currently live in a beautiful house and are looking at houses that are vastly smaller and much less safe and in differnt neighborhoods than we are used to.
    Blessings and prayers for all
    I would greatly aappreciate your prayers

    • Mary Ng Shwu Ling Posted June 11, 2018 11:59 am

      Julie, may God lead and guide you and your daughter in your house hunting.

      Blessings

  • Mary Ng Shwu Ling Posted June 11, 2018 11:57 am

    I used to take care of two new believers once and one has gone back to the states and another is still in singapore. I still keep them both in prayers and meet up with them occasionally. Grateful for their growth and even their spouses and childten’s spiritual growth.

    Blessings

  • Lou Posted June 11, 2018 9:36 pm

    Prayers especially for Marcy- hope the appointment went well today – I am also thankful for her faith and love filled prayers for us all. Prayers for Julie – I know what leaving the security of a beautiful home is like- but as I have said before – my “things” no longer matter and I know that I can make any four walls a home for myself and my children – that’s what I am invested in doing – making a happy comfortable place that they can still come “home” to. Im working on that –
    Blessings and peace to you Julie.
    Prayers for Andrea, Betsy, Jill, Robert and Mary – for Connie – how are you? For April and Chloe and Paige –
    It has been rainy, cold and dreary in the Chicagoland area- we are longing for summer and sunshine. I’m tired of the wet – my moving boxes are stacked high and I’m slowly getting through some of them- I’m trying to be patient with myself –
    Peace to all tonight –

    • robert moeller Posted June 12, 2018 2:54 pm

      Lou, you have come further than you think. You are doing quite well with the difficult task at hand. Hope the weather perks up and provides a little reward for all your hard work and faith. Home is where the heart is and there is a heart in your home.

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