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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

IF OUR PRAYERS focus only on human need and suffering, they easily become patterned around the same lists of hurts we want mended and failures we want rectified. When we surround our intercessions with thanksgiving for things God has already done and awe at who God is, they take on confidence and joy even in adverse situations.

—Max O. Vincent
Because of This I Rejoice: Reading Philippians During Lent

From page 35 of Because of This I Rejoice: Reading Philippians During Lent by Max O. Vincent. Copyright © 2018 by The Upper Room. All rights reserved. Used by permission of Upper Room Books. Learn more about or purchase this book.

Today’s Question

What are you thankful for? Share your thoughts.

Today’s Scripture

I thank my God every time I remember you, constantly praying with joy in every one of my prayers for all of you, because of your sharing in the gospel from the first day until now.
—Philippians 1:3-5, NRSV

This Week: Rejoice in the Lord always. Submit your prayer to The Upper Room Living Prayer Center or share it in the comment section.

New for Lent 2019

Upper Room eLearning invites you to join our online community for an eCourse based on Because of This I Rejoice. Click here to preview this eCourse experience.

Lectionary Readings

(Courtesy of Vanderbilt Divinity Library)

Looking for lectionary-based resources? Learn more about The Upper Room Disciplines.

Sponsored by The Upper Room. Copyright © 2019 | PO Box 340004 | Nashville, TN 37203-0004 | USA

19 Comments

  • Mary Ng Shwu Ling Posted February 5, 2019 2:01 am

    Thank you God for friends and family!

    Thank you for blessing our Chinese New year celebration and fellowship.

    Thank you for all of you here.

    Blessings!

    • Lou Posted February 5, 2019 4:22 am

      Happy new year Mary!
      Thankful for you and your succinct and joyful posts!

      • Mary Ng Shwu Ling Posted February 5, 2019 8:03 am

        Thank you Lou!

        May God bless you and your family!

  • Lou Posted February 5, 2019 4:26 am

    Thankful for this group of believers that teach me much about faith, hope, and love.
    Thankful always for my children.
    Thankful for a good job and a warm home.
    Thankful that He loves us all.

  • Grace Archer Posted February 5, 2019 5:49 am

    I am thankful for being alive every day

  • Rusty Posted February 5, 2019 5:58 am

    Ditto Mary, Lou and Grace Those are good things to be thankful for. I’m also thankful for God and his grace and mercy. Where would I be without him?

    For much of my life, I was without him. At least, I thought I was. It was my own choice. I had no religious upbringing and didn’t think I believed in him. Nor did I make any effort to learn anything about him. But, praise God, he let me know one day that he’d been there all along. The human word thankfulness is a powerful word but it seems so small by comparison with what he did for me that day and has done for me every day of my life.

    Lord, please grow my thankfulness for all of creation and for you, our God and creator. You are good. Your mercy is everlasting. And your faithfulness endures from ages to age.

    • Mary Ng Shwu Ling Posted February 5, 2019 8:07 am

      Praise God for blessing you with the joy of salvation, Rusty!

      • Rusty Posted February 5, 2019 9:15 pm

        Thank you, Mary! May the Lord bless you and your family!

  • robert moeller Posted February 5, 2019 6:32 am

    Thankful for a safe trip through the fog last night, a lot accomplished at home, and a nice long walk.. A paycheck and a package expected today for Erich. He’s making progress.

    Prayers that transportation will soon be available so Anneliese can have an MRI, see a spine specialist, and get relief from the pain she is enduring. Thankful there is health insurance. Hopeful the condo sale finally occurs this month as expected.

    Yes, Mary, Happy Chinese New Year. It’s also happy Korean New Year!
    I agree with Mary, Lou, Grace, and Rusty. Without God we are in a very hopeless position. God makes all the difference. Thank You, Lord.

    Prayers for Gloria, Marcy and her helper Mary, Julie, Andrea and Lowell, and all in need of medical care. Thankful that we have doctors, nurses, and technicians who can help.

    God’s blessings and peace to all the UR family.

    • Mary Ng Shwu Ling Posted February 5, 2019 8:04 am

      Thank you Robert!

      May God bless you and your family!

      Also happy Korean new year to you and Erich!

  • Betsy Posted February 5, 2019 6:54 am

    My heart is full. There is so much to be thankful for! For our new grandson and his loving parents, for health and family, Christian friends and close relationships. Beginning my prayers with thanksgiving focuses my heart on blessings. Thank you today for this reminder.
    It was so nice to hear from a staff person yesterday from UR! We are so blessed to be able to come to this place and share and pray for one another.

  • Ramona De Boer Posted February 5, 2019 7:21 am

    I am grateful for the gift of faith in God and Jesus Christ through the work of The Spirit.
    I am grateful God has a plan to redeem fallen humanity so we can be what God created us to be.
    I am grateful for forgiveness, that I am forgiven and I am able to forgive with God’s grace.

    • April Posted February 5, 2019 10:29 am

      Welcome Ramona, I too am thankful for the gift of forgiveness, for being able to bring the events in my life before Him, knowing that He will take over. Quoting Jill : “I can trust God with this. I will trust God with this. I DO trust God with this.”

  • Julie Posted February 5, 2019 8:25 am

    When I read Paul’s words to the Philippians in the Scripture above, I thought of this group and how very thankful I am for each of you. I have grown so much in my faith journey because of your tuteledge.
    I add my gratitude to yours for the UR staff members that provide this valuable forum for all of us.
    I am thankful for many of the things listed above. I am thankful for my daughter. I am thankful for my kitties. I am thankful God gives me His strength for without it I would not get through these days. I am thankful for the promise of Spring.
    Happy New Year to Mary and Robert.
    Prayers and blessings and warm hugs of gratitude to each UR family member

    • Mary Ng Shwu Ling Posted February 5, 2019 8:34 am

      Thank you Julie!

      May God bless you and your daughter!

      Grateful for all your prayers, Julie!

  • Connie Posted February 5, 2019 9:02 am

    I am so thankful for wonderful neighbors who care about us. We also care about them. We have some who have been neighbors for many years. God bless them today and thank you God for them.

  • Andrea Posted February 5, 2019 9:34 am

    I am thankful for my faithful, loving husband, who has been my rock for almost 21 years of marriage. I am thankful for 4 y.o. little boy, curious and sweet, and that I am his best friend; and I am for his mommy and daddy. I am thankful for the beauty I see each day from our windows. I am thankful for dear UR friends, for your thoughts about the reflections, your sharing and prayers, and for UR staff, who maintain this Holy online site.

    Happy New Year, Robert, Erich, and Mary!

    • Mary Ng Shwu Ling Posted February 5, 2019 10:10 am

      Thank you Andrea!

      May God bless you and your family!

  • April Posted February 5, 2019 10:30 am

    Thankful for homemade split pea soup and breadsticks.
    Thankful for kids and grandkids who share their love and time with us.
    Thankful for my UR family and all the songs we love to share and “sing” on this site.

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