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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.

In order to continue receiving Upper Room Daily Reflections after January 1, 2019, please confirm your subscription here.

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Today’s Reflection

THE BASIC FOUNDATION for all spiritual growth is God’s loving gift of Jesus. Through God’s promises and initiatives, God assures us that we are already loved just as we are. We don’t have to go anywhere or do anything to gain God’s love. This love is unconditional and unmerited. To fall into the hands of God is to fall into the arms of unfailing love (Micah 7:18-19).

There is a divine initiative in our every encounter with God. Even before we knew our Creator, God loved us. Even before we turned to look toward God, God was moving toward us.

– Rueben P. Job, Norman Shawchuck, and John S. Mogabgab
A Guide to Prayer for All Who Walk with God

From page 22 of A Guide to Prayer for All Who Walk with God by Rueben P. Job, Norman Shawchuck, and John S. Mogabgab. Copyright © 2013 by Upper Room Books. All rights reserved. Used by permission of Upper Room Books. http://bookstore.upperroom.org/ Learn more about or purchase this book.

Today’s Question

As you pray today, contemplate God’s love for you. Share your thoughts.

Today’s Scripture

As it is written in the book of the words of the prophet Isaiah, “The voice of one crying out in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.”
Luke 3:4, NRSV

This Week: Pray for those without homes. Submit your prayer to The Upper Room Living Prayer Center or share it in the comment section.

Prepare for Advent

Explore how nativity sets, Advent wreaths, candles, carols, Christmas cards, and other traditions help prepare our hearts for the God “who bends low to enter our world and our lives.” The Living Nativity, a new book and eCourse by Larry Peacock, is available now.

This week we remember: Ambrose (December 7).

Lectionary Readings

(Courtesy of Vanderbilt Divinity Library)

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

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In order to continue receiving Upper Room Daily Reflections after January 1, 2019, please confirm your subscription here.

7 Comments

  • Jill Posted December 8, 2018 5:23 am

    How deep, how vast is Your love for us. And unmerited – I can sit and ponder that for a very long time. Hard to conceive of this type of love from a human perspective. It is astounding. Thank You, Lord.
    Grateful for moments of wonderment.
    Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine.

  • Mary Ng Shwu Ling Posted December 8, 2018 6:43 am

    Thank you God for your unconditional love. Teach me to love like you do.

    Thanks everyone for your prayers. Dad is walking around already. Very grateful for his speedy recovery and your prayers.

    Blessings!

    Very grateful for the joy of learning leather crafting. I made a planner cover today.

    Hope to learn more soon. Also, very grateful for my very patient teacher who stood there to teach me step by step for three hours.

  • Connie Posted December 8, 2018 7:38 am

    As I contemplate God’s love I am amazed….that He can love even me. I have not been at my best lately. That is when I need Him the most and He is always there.
    Thankful for:
    An exciting week ahead.
    A cookie walk.
    The promise of “Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow-blessings all mine with ten thousand beside”.
    Faith, Hope and Love AND Marcy.

  • Julie Posted December 8, 2018 8:22 am

    Oh, to even understand an infinitesimal portion of Your love, Lord. I am grateful that I am Your child, well loved and beloved.
    Prayers for Jill and her family and continued good cheer.
    Prayers for Mary and her family and patient instructors.
    Prayers for Connie and her family and may the coming week uplift Connie.
    Prayers for Marcy and Mary and of course Lucy. Prayers of gratitude for her checking in with us. I understand the difficulties of typing when in pain,so please when you do check in, a short missive would be fine. You need to conserve your energy for the insurance forms.
    Prayers for Betsy and her family and may her brother recover quickly.
    Prayers for Andrea and Lowell and thier family and health.
    Prayers for Robert and Erich, may the they be safe during their busyness and find time to relax and contemplate the season.
    Prayers for Lou and her family, April and her family and Shirlee and her daughter.
    Prayers for all who rest here today and all of the UR family

  • Betsy Posted December 8, 2018 8:48 am

    God’s love is unconditional and unending. “Love came down at Christmastime” ……as our savior, Jesus. Thank you for today’s devotional reminder that this is foundation of our journey.
    Busyness is ramping up, as Christmas comes near. I was working at an elementary school on Thursday, and the children are so excited and distracted. I pray for all educators at this time of year; keeping students focused and on task. Bless your heart, Jill!
    Praying for all my friends who visit here: Marcy, Mary, Robert, Jill, Andrea, Lou, Connie, and all the friends and family connecting us. (Want you to explain the Cookie Walk, Connie) Church party this weekend, husband’s Christmas dinner tonight and worship Sunday with choir Cantata. Help me, Lord, to hear the quiet and calm amid the bustle of activities. Emmanuel.

    • Connie Posted December 9, 2018 9:05 am

      United Methodist Women set up tables with cookies and you pick out whatever you like. Proceeds go to missions.

  • robert moeller Posted December 9, 2018 2:23 am

    My schedule has been erratic the last couple of days, everything is going well,
    I’m just on a different timetable. One more day, then my normal schedule and then a new schedule will start that should be more stable.

    Erich’s work is going well, he’s at the location where he’ll work for a while, things are getting started and soon will be super busy.

    Had a wonderful church craft gathering yesterday, a great view of a well known mountain in VT, Camel’s Hump. Made Christmas tree ornaments, had nice snacks, and super view of the gleaming white mountain.

    Need to catch up with posts and then will post again. Pray you are all doing well, This is Saturday’s reflection, but I’m replying on the Second Sunday of
    Advent. Blessings to you all on this day.

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