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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

HOW COULD SHEEP stay protected without a door? The shepherd would lie down at night in the doorway. The shepherd would be the door. This is what people would have pictured when Jesus said, “I am the door for the sheep.” I recently saw these kinds of sheep pens in the Holy Land.

Sheep are restless creatures. They are easily startled, and once star-tled it is hard for them to settle down and sleep. Author W. Phillip Keller spent some time as a sheep rancher in Africa and wrote a couple of books relating his experience as a shepherd to his faith in Christ, the Good Shepherd. He said four conditions have to be met in order for sheep to lie down: They must be free of fear, free from friction with others in the flock, free from parasites and pests, and free from hunger.

—Rob Fuquay
The God We Can Know: Exploring the “I Am” Sayings of Jesus

From page 62 of The God We Can Know: Exploring the “I Am” Sayings of Jesus by Rob Fuquay. Copyright © 2014 by The Upper Room. All rights reserved. Used by permission of Upper Room Books. Learn more about or purchase this book.

Today’s Question

Can you relate to being like a restless sheep?  Share your thoughts.

Today’s Scripture

“I am the gate. Whoever enters by me will be saved, and will come in and go out and find pasture.”
—John 10:9, NRSV

Prayer for the Week

Lord, open my eyes, my heart, and my mind so that I may know who you are.

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

Something more

Hundreds of people post prayer requests on The Upper Room prayer wall each day. Take a few minutes to respond and pray with some of those in need of prayer today. Pray with us.

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

16 Comments

  • Betsy Posted March 21, 2019 7:08 am

    Yay, this is the first day this week I’ve been able to get into the comment section. Don’t know what happened.
    Such a thought provoking devotional today. I’m often a “restless sheep”; no specific direction, feelings of self-doubt and searching for a better way. I must turn back to scripture and my time in prayer. It’s a process. I know that God stands at the gap for me. Praises.
    I’m not able (yet) to view prior posts, so I continue to pray openly for my UR
    Family.

  • Mary Ng Shwu Ling Posted March 21, 2019 7:59 am

    Great to hear from you, Betsy!

    Glad that the Good Shepherd guarded us well.

    Thank you God for protecting us and providing for all our needs.

    I remembered an illustration of the good Shepherd I read before. A little boy was watching his uncle feed the sheep. He obsered that some sheep we’re given more while others less. So he asked his uncle why was he so unfair. His uncy told him, some sheep we’re given more because they are pregnant. God gives according to our needs.

    Blessings to all!

    • Mary Ng Shwu Ling Posted March 21, 2019 8:01 am

      Observed

      Sorry for the typo error

      • Mary Ng Shwu Ling Posted July 1, 2023 10:15 am

        I remember

  • robert moeller Posted March 21, 2019 8:07 am

    Thankful to be able to post again. I have seen the reflections, but have been unable to post. There were problems with the login in ID and password. Thanks to whomever fixed this problem.

    Don’t have much experience with sheep.My granddaughters feed them at the zoo. There used to be thousands in VT long ago raised for their Merino wool.
    Some here now, but I would guess there are more goats than sheep.

    The four conditions for sheep top sleep seem very understandable and applicable to humans. I like the shepherd in the door was as a gate. Jesus certainly does that for us.

    Prayers for Mozambique, Zimbabwe, and Malawi after the cyclone hit, and for the people of the US Midwest where many areas are flooded.

    Prayers that Andrea and Lowell made it or are safely on their way back to the US. Prayers for God’s peace with Gloria. Hope Marcy and Julie are receiving benefits from warmer weather, medicine, medical help, and have peace of mind.

    Paperwork is at the home loan office. It arrived yesterday. Haven’t seen any houses that fit our need recently.

  • Marcy Posted March 21, 2019 8:12 am

    Hello, UR family! Tomorrow should be able to post with some help. We’ve been trying but no luck. Insurance issues with needed surgery, but should see better next werk.

    Betsy, I’m also needing to get back to my Bible studies. Just a bit longer. I’m praying for you! May God calm you through the Holy Spirit!

    Loving and missyou all and keep you in my prayers each day. God brought us together. So thankfil. Thanksf or praying for me and thanking God he watches over us. Jesus truly is our Shepherd so many wats!

    Fsith, Hope and Love and the greatest of these is LOVE!

  • Julie Posted March 21, 2019 8:14 am

    test

  • Marcy Posted March 21, 2019 8:16 am

    Oh! Surprise I guess, Meet Lucy!see you tomorrow, siblings in Christ!

    • Connie Posted March 21, 2019 9:01 am

      I love Lucy!

  • Julie Posted March 21, 2019 8:21 am

    Sorry for the test, but I wrote a very long comment it and it failed to post.
    There has been an issue with posting and I have been tenacious in my pursuit of a resolution. I finally was given a phone number for an individual at the home office. They guard this office as if it is an inner sanctum. Once I spoke with that individual and conveyed my deep despair they immediately remedied the problem.
    I am a restless sheep due to fear and friction with one particular sheep.
    I do not have time to completely relicate my past post so….
    Prayers, blessings and warm hugs dearest UR family! I have missed you

  • Connie Posted March 21, 2019 9:04 am

    I had trouble, too, for about 4 days! Missed everyone.
    “There’s a sweet, sweet Spirit in this place”

  • Marti Williams-Martin Posted March 21, 2019 9:17 am

    Hello Daily Reflections family,
    As some of you noticed, we had some technical difficulties with the comment fields of Daily Reflections. I was sad not to see your comments and conversation over these last few days. We began working on the problem Monday morning, and it took us a few days to get it fixed. We believe the problem has been solved. If you have any problems with the comment field again, email ministryengagement@upperroom.org directly.

    Thank you for being part of The Upper Room family,
    Marti Williams-Martin

    Director of Interpretation
    The Upper Room

  • Anonymous Posted March 21, 2019 2:43 pm

    I can be a restless sheep- overwhelmed and stirred up by the stressors of this world. I find peace in praying and in the Bible.
    Prayers that Andrea has gotten safely back home. Glad to hear from Marcy. Prayers for Julie and her home life and physical struggles. Prayers for Betsy and her family and the good works she does in the name of the Lord. Prayers for Robert – may your search for a new home be successful and the move go smoothly. Prayers for all who come to this place and for all who have missed the comment section that we all rely on. Thankful for those who fixed the problem. Prayers for Connie and her song and scripture references that are always fitting. Prayers for Mary and her family and for Jill – I miss her thoughtful comments and hope that she and her family are supporting each other. Prayers for my me and my youngest as we take a spring break together and hope to enjoy sunshine, warmer weather and each other’s company. We will also take another trip to visit one last school. She was admitted to all of her schools and now is faced with making a selection- I tell her it is a wonderful problem to be faced with – I pray for the Lord to guide her in this next step and for Him to show me the way to continue to help her. I do everything I can. I’m looking forward to being away from work and all of the daily tasks for a few days. It is gloomy and still so cold in the Midwest. I pray for all of those affected by the floods and natural disasters. Prayers also for Bill, Amy, April, Paige, Chloe, Francesca and Sara.

    • Mary Ng Shwu Ling Posted March 22, 2019 7:49 am

      Thank you Lou! Your prayers have lifted us up!

      Blessings to you and your family!

  • Lou Posted March 21, 2019 2:44 pm

    Anonymous was Lou- I’m challenged by the new set up!

  • Julie Posted March 21, 2019 3:53 pm

    Glad to see everyone kept trying

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