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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

SALT HAS BEEN VALUED since ancient times. Because they were “eating the salt of the palace”—on the royal payroll—Jerusalem’s adversaries claimed they were obliged to bend the ear of the Persian king (Ezra 4:14). Roman soldiers received an allotment of salt, the origin of our word “salary.”… In Central and Eastern Europe, salt and bread are goodwill gifts: may you eat and live well; may we commune as neighbors in peace. …

Colossians 4:6 exhorts Christians to “let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person.”

I don’t quite understand the full effect of the apostle’s metaphor, but if it’s meant to challenge, it succeeds.

Prayer

God, I see that I must let you season my life with salt, which then becomes part of my being. Let there be “salt to taste,” a well-proportioned amount that doesn’t draw attention to itself but draws out the fine flavors of my character.

– Evelyn Bence
Room at My Table

“From page 62 of Room at My Table: Preparing Heart & Home for Christian Hospitality by Evelyn Bence. Copyright © 2014 by Evelyn Bence. All rights reserved. Used by permission of Upper Room Books.
“http://bookstore.upperroom.org/ Learn more about or purchase this book.

Today’s Question

Where can you be salt in the world? Share your thoughts.

Today’s Scripture

One of the scribes came near and heard them disputing with one another, and seeing that he answered them well, he asked him, “Which commandment is the first of all?”

Mark 12:28, NRSV

This Week: pray for refugees. 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: Donald M. Baillie (October 31).

Lectionary Readings

(Courtesy of Vanderbilt Divinity Library)

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

6 Comments

  • Julie Posted November 2, 2018 8:15 am

    Lord, may I see those around me who need me to speak with words flavored with the salt that would meet their needs. May I also greet everyone with the salt of gracious welcoming and share all I can with those in need.
    Prayers for Robert and continued good health.
    Prayers for Jill and Gloria and continued good health.
    Prayers for Connie and continued thankfulness for every good thing.
    Prayers for Betsy and good health for her daughter in law.
    Prayers for Lou and her children and their futures.
    Prayers for Andrea and her family and safe travel.
    Prayers Mary and her continued joy.
    Prayers for Marcy and April and all those we do not hear from.
    Prayers for all my fellow Pittsburghers. We are still strong and we will continue to live Mr Roger’s legacy. He was from the neighborhood where the Tree of Life synaogue celebrates the shabat for three dfferent congregations.
    Prayers for love for all God’s children. May we members of the UR family shine an example of God’s love for all to see

  • Connie Posted November 2, 2018 8:25 am

    “You are the salt of the earth”.
    May we add “flavor” to others’ lives by being informed, kind, and interesting. We may grow older, but we do not need to grow “tasteless”. Shake the shaker.
    Thankful for:
    A beautiful sunrise of pale pinks and baby blues.
    Feeding hungry wildlife as days grow colder.
    A computer that works….one not so much!
    Julie’s prayers and Mary’s prayer for refugees.

    • S J Jones Posted November 2, 2018 4:40 pm

      “shake the shaker” ~ I will remember that phrase! Thank you.

  • Andrea Posted November 2, 2018 9:09 am

    My speech has been very testy and reactive with my husband lately. I need to ponder the salt metaphor. Perhaps it alludes to flavorful speech- good flavor.

    Blessings and prayers.

  • robert moeller Posted November 2, 2018 10:08 am

    Thankful for the prayers yesterday, when I posted there were only two posts, today when I looked there were more. i sincerely appreciate all of you and try not to leave any of you out.

    Yes, prayers for the refugees, the asylum seekers, those fleeing trpuble in the native land, seeking a new life somewhere else. Who was at the shores when
    the Americas became the goal of so many from other lands? Every group has been “given the business” by those who came before them. Yet somehow we have become a country where others still want to come. I agree there should be some orderly process, but it needs to be fair, respectful. Asylum seekers need to have their cases heard, and yes, some would be turned back. I don’t see an invasion coming. We need to work to help the people have better lives in the countries they are fleeing as well as be a refuge for those who are being persecuted. May the people of the United States be the salt Jesus describes.

    Prayers for those we do not hear from. Not knowing what is happening is very difficult. Thankfully we know that God is with them and in ways that we can only hope to be like. Peace be with you and with them. It’s All Soul’s Day.

    Thank You, Lord

  • Mary Ng Shwu Ling Posted November 2, 2018 6:54 pm

    Thank you God for the weekends and for all the prayers.

    May all have a good weekend and enjoy your fellowship with family and friends!

    Blessings!

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