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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

ALL OF US have sustained wounds; all of us have inflicted wounds. Life consists in large measure of a journey through grief and loss. Wounded, we cry out to God. We seek a balm to heal our wounds. We long for release from the discouragement that saps our energy and blinds us to all that is good and true in our lives. We yearn for wholeness and healing.

At a moment of deep despair, the Lord spoke through the prophet Jeremiah to God’s people: “I will restore health to you and your wounds I will heal.”

– Paul Wesley Chilcote
A Life-Shaping Prayer: 52 Meditations in the Wesleyan Spirit

From pages 94-95 of A Life-Shaping Prayer: 52 Meditations in the Wesleyan Spirit by Paul Wesley Chilcote. Copyright © 2008 by Paul Wesley Chilcote. All rights reserved. Used by permission of Upper Room Books. http://bookstore.upperroom.org/ Learn more about or purchase this book.

Today’s Question

Hear God say to you: “I will restore health to you and your wounds I will heal.” Share your thoughts.

Today’s Scripture

Then Jesus said to them, “Very truly, I tell you, it was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven, but it is my Father who gives you the true bread from heaven.

John 6:32, NRSV

This Week: pray for students starting back to school. 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: Ignatius of Loyola (July 31).

Lectionary Readings

(Courtesy of Vanderbilt Divinity Library)

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

7 Comments

  • robert moeller Posted August 4, 2018 5:32 am

    Prayers for Marcy and her migraine breathing, heart and well being, Julie’s finger and situation, and the girl Betsy mentioned who lost her Mom.Prayers for Mary, her eyesight, rest, and conditions at school.

    Thankful Jill has returned, played golf with her Dad. Prayers for Gloria as she deals with cancer. Thankful for a good day at the dentist, the “wire’ is holding my teeth, and the rinse is helping greatly with plaque. My mouth is in better shape. Had a wonderful day meeting high school classmates and a model railroad friend. He lost his wife, lives alone, and needed help with his journal collection. Many issues missing due to 20 years of travel to Florida each winter. Have batteries for a toy that Pearl loves so she has very welcome activity. Have word that choir practice and singing begins September 16th.
    Church and communion tomorrow, car inspection on Monday Thank You, Lord for the blessings of the day.

    Continued prayers for all the UR family, thank you for your visits, comments, posts, and sharing. The Lord is with you.

  • Jill Posted August 4, 2018 6:10 am

    This is a promise I must cling to – my Great Healer – He will restore me. As I think about my mom, her incredibly negative, bleak outlook – I have begun to think about what my feelings, my recollection of her will be when she is gone. I am afraid I am going to be bitter at how she chose to live (die?) in the time she has left. The atmosphere my dad has to live with day in and day out in their time that remains. I am trying to be aware of this possible root of bitterness…to continually confess these thoughts and concerns to Him. I feel as though complete surrender isn’t even a possibility…that my heart is getting hardened. I so desire to love both of them well, yet I have such strong feelings of frustration. I pray God will help me to guard my mouth – I really don’t want to regret saying something in a moment of frustration.
    I feel as though this is where I need to re-look at the armor of God – for this is a war within myself which the devil is waging. I need to stand. And speak truth…do not fear, dearly beloved, be at peace. Thank you for your continued prayers – they are an encouragement.
    May our great God’s love, grace and mercy rain down on your lives, your concerns and hold you and your loved ones well. As He wills, may you be healed of your afflictions.

    • Pamela Posted August 5, 2018 5:56 am

      Jill, Connie and Julie are absolutely right! Might I add that a book named appropriately “The Long Goodbye” also helped me begin to mourn, therefore HEAL as my own dear Mother was being taken away. My older sister, Eva was able to spend more time with her near the end, like you, so it helped that she KNEW she did all she could. I, on the other hand could not hardly BEAR seeing my mom OR Dad in such dire straights, but was able to “force” myself to be there whenever I was needed, so still, instead of being ridden with guilt like my YOUNGER sister, I also was able to remember my mom as she was at her “prime”
      !

  • Mary Ng Shwu Ling Posted August 4, 2018 6:28 am

    Indeed, God is our healer, our Great Physician!

    Thank you God for restoring our health and for being our Great Physician!

    Thank you Robert for your prayers!

    May you enjoy your choir practice, Robert! I used to be in the choir too.

    Have a great weekend everyone!

    May Julie’s finger heal completely and Marcy’s migraine be healed, in the name of Jesus Christ, amen!

  • Julie Posted August 4, 2018 8:22 am

    Thank you, Robert and Mary, for your prayers. I am buoyed by your kind words and your prayers on my behalf.
    Prayers for Robert, Erich and Pearl. May Robert continue to have good dental health, may Erich’s pain subside, and maay Pearl be tired out by her toy.
    Prayers for Jill, Larry and Gloria. May Gloria choose to enjoy the time she has remaining with her loved ones so that they are left with many happy memories. May Jill focus not on the negative now but on cherished memories of past times as well as the few bright spots of present.
    Prayers for Mary and her parents. May Mary have a restful weekend with time to forget work and stress. May her parents be free of pain.
    Prayers for Betsy and her husband. Prayers for the young girl who lost her mother and prayers of a mentor who who will provide a strong emotional foundation for this young woman.
    Prayers for all of the UR visitors and longtime family

  • Connie Posted August 4, 2018 8:37 am

    I hear You, Lord. Thank you, Lord.
    Jill, I sympathize with your frustration. My Mother once told her doctor that she and I got along fine until she got sick. What a blow to hear that! All we can do is do all we can do……
    Thankful for:
    A tuna sandwich that tasted so good. (My appetite hasn’t been great)
    My Marigolds are finally blooming!
    Great weather, even though quite hot today, I believe.

  • Andrea Posted August 4, 2018 10:50 am

    Thank you for your thoughts and prayers.

    Jill, my prayers. I wonder if praying the Serenity Prayer would help you with your mother and with your frustration?

    I pray for healing and well-being for Marcy and Julie.

    My daughter and I have been doing things together and with my grandson regularly, except for a couple periods of several weeks in the past year when she was angry at me and cut off communication. She struggles with significant anxiety (my assessment) and I pray for her to find more peace of mind. I pray also for her to find guidance in parenting. What I consider to be strange in her parenting concerns me. It is not abuse or neglect, but it is quite counter- culture. I do not offer any advice, having learned it makes her angry and causes her to back away from me. I give love and support. I am “there” for her and my grandson. I give my worries to God, over and over. Next week, we will spend three days near Lake Superior, with the beloved little three year old boy. This was her idea and I am delighted. She remembers the times she and I spent on Lake Superior when she was little. I pray for God to be present in all of our interactions during our concentrated time together.

    I keep you all in my prayers, praying for you, those for whom you pray, and your concerns. Blessings.

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