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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

AS IF LOVING GOD with our complete heart, soul, mind, and strength isn’t hard enough, there’s more. That neighbor—who doesn’t look like me, sound like me, pray like me; who doesn’t give me the time of day, and if we’re being totally honest, whom I really don’t like—I’m supposed to love him or her too.

It’s not enough just to say so; we have to do it.

—Wendy LeBolt
Made to Move: Knowing and Loving God Through Our Bodies

From page 37 of Made to Move: Knowing and Loving God Through Our Bodies by Wendy LeBolt. Copyright © 2019 by The Upper Room. All rights reserved. Used by permission of Upper Room Books. Learn more about or purchase this book.

Today’s Question

Is there someone you find it difficult to love? Share your thoughts.

Today’s Scripture

He said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the greatest and first commandment. And a second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’
—Matthew 22: 37-39, NRSV

Prayer for the Week

Thank you, Magnificent God, for the body that you created uniquely for me.

Submit your prayer to The Upper Room Living Prayer Center or share it in the comment section.

Did You Know?

Those who pour out their lives daily in service to others need a little refreshment. Join us for a special event in April, Resilience for Activists. Learn more.

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

5 Comments

  • robert moeller Posted March 12, 2019 6:52 am

    If we don’t all have people who fit this “difficult to love” tag, I think we are not truthful. At the moment there are many people in government who fill that description. I pray that God’s wisdom and guidance comes to them and that thus they are successful. I see people who at first impression tirn me off, and then think, God loves them, so must I. Trying hard to change the way I am and love everyone, even enemies, is merely a tiny step in the right direction. Have a ways to go and I am not getting any younger.

    More snow here today, but warmer weather is in the forecast, Pray we don’t get a drastic warming that leads to floods. There’s a lot of snow on the ground.

    Prayers for Gloria, Larry, Jill, and Becky. God’s peace and comfort to them.
    Continued prayers for Marcy and her helper Mary. May treatment be successful and support provide for all your needs. Had a very successful train show in St. Albans VT. The Central Vermont Railway HQ and shops were there. They are still being used by the New England Central Railway.
    Prayers for Julie, this has been a long winter and I am sure your hands are anxious for warmer weather. Grateful for your very detailed, diligent, and daily prayers. Blessings to Mary in Singapore, glad you are teaching and have a setting that works well for you. Thankful Betsy is enjoying her grandson, Harrison. Healing is continuing for Andrea and Lowell. Prayers for Connie and Lou that life present progress. Thankful for all the UR family. Thank You, Lord, for all You do for us each and every day.

  • Julie Posted March 12, 2019 8:17 am

    Amen to your first statement Robert. Amen to your statements regarding those in government. However they would need to be God fearing and God guided, which I fear they have demonstrated repeatedly they are not. Of course we have answered this question before and my person is h. I have also stated that at this time loving h is not in my best interest. I must recognize that h is determined to do me harm.
    Prayers for the author of the book, Wendy LeBolt, for sharing her wise thoughts with us yesterday. Thank you so much for your comments and insights.
    Prayers for Robert, may they have a gentle spring warming and no floods.
    Prayers for Marcy, may she heal from her surgery and have pain relief.
    Prayers for Mary, may God give her strength to help her as she does so much for so many.
    Prayers for Andrea and safe travel.
    Prayers for Rusty and health improvement.
    Prayers for Connie and emotional health improvement.
    Prayers for Lou and Betsy and April and their families.
    Prayers for Jill and her family, may Gloria not be in pain and may the family be strong.
    Prayers and blessings and warm hugs dear UR family, one and all

    • Mary Ng Shwu Ling Posted March 12, 2019 8:41 am

      Thanks Robert and Julie for all your prayers!

      I pray for people whom I find difficult to love and somehow God help me to understand and love them. God change me instead.

      Thank you God for changing me, helping me to understand and love others.

      Blessings to all!

      May all love God completely and also love our neighbors as ourselves!

  • Illana Naylor Posted March 12, 2019 3:02 pm

    The ‘Trinity of Love” is to love God with heart, soul, mind and strength, to love our neighbor as ourselves and to love our enemies. It is to our spiritual detriment that we ignore Christ’s commandment to love our enemies. How else do we learn to love ourselves, our spouses, if we do not understand that we are to love our enemies. It is while we were ‘enemies’ of God that God came into the world to reconcile the world to God’s self.

  • Car lox Posted March 12, 2019 8:31 pm

    The last sentence on TODAYS REFLCTION needed a question mark? Man always questions the demands of the lord! Easy to say — Never Hate — but hard not to realize that abusers exist! Remove yourself and feel sorry for that abuser. the lord is simply saying, “treat everyone as you would want to be treated in return”?

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