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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

ONE OF THE SPIRITUAL PRACTICES I have come to love is the practice of Examen, or a prayerful examination of the day. The practice comes from Saint Ignatius of Loyola, a sixteenth-century mystic and the founder of the Jesuit order of priests. He believed this form of prayer to be one of the most important, and he saw it as a gift of God to be practiced regularly. …

In this prayer practice, you focus and reflect on the awareness of God’s presence throughout the day. You ask questions such as, Where did I see God today?, At what points in the day did I feel far from God?, How did I experience joy today?, and What made me sad today?

—Jenny Youngman
Scrambled Starts: Family Prayers for Morning, Bedtime, and Everything in Between

From page 32-33 of Scrambled Starts: Family Prayers for Morning, Bedtime, and Everything in Between by Jenny Youngman. Copyright © 2015 by The Upper Room. All rights reserved. Used by permission of Upper Room Books. Learn more about or purchase this book.

Today’s Question

At the close of today, set aside time to ask the Examen questions Jenny Youngman references.  Share your thoughts.

Today’s Scripture

“I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.
—Revelation 1:8, NRSV

Prayer for the Week

Praise God, from whom all blessings flow;

Praise him, all creatures here below;

Praise him above, ye heavenly host;

Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Amen. (Traditional Doxology)

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

Something more

Looking for a special way to celebrate Mom this Mother’s Day? Give a gift in her honor to your favorite Upper Room ministry.

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

7 Comments

  • Jill Posted May 10, 2019 6:32 am

    I learned of this practice a few years ago and downloaded an app onto my phone…I believe it is called “reimagining the examen”. I do not use this practice prior to going to bed. But, if I am having trouble sleeping, I will sometimes do this. I use the app when I am traveling, as my morning time takes on a different look, especially when traveling with others.
    Grateful I was able to go home after school yesterday and not have anything to do. Just lazily sit in my recliner with Roger and then unhurriedly fix dinner. Grateful for the simple pleasure of coffee in the morning, once I arrive at school. Grateful my area didn’t get any of the forecasted storms last evening, slept deeply throughout the night.
    Good morning.

  • robert moeller Posted May 10, 2019 6:46 am

    Examen broadens the simple prayer I do before going to sleep where I thank God for the blessings of the day.

    Had a much awaited blessing yesterday. The condo association where the condo I am trying to buy is located has been approved by the VA. This is a huge step forward. A VA certificate of eligibility and my mortgage application are next in the process. Very thankful for this progress. Thank you all for your prayers.

    Will hear the bishop of the New England Conference of the United Methodist Church in nearby Barre VT on Saturday. The conference, while not of one mind, leans predominantly toward inclusion of all people. I believe that is what Christ taught. Love your neighbor, even love your enemy.

    With progress toward the move I want to attend a church that is inclusive. I am hoping to find one.

    Prayers that your needs and concerns, already known by God, are met. Peace, healing, reconciliation, restoration, love, mercy, grace, and hope to the UR family. Thank You, Lord.

  • Betsy Posted May 10, 2019 7:02 am

    My prayer and reflection time usually is in the morning, but I’ll still use these questions to examine the previous day and how God is at work. Being aware of the questions throughout the day should help to make me more aware of God at work in my life.
    Robert, so happy that things are moving along with the condo application. It is a long process I know. Praying for a Quick resolution and you can get moved and settled.
    Jill, it sounds like school is slowly winding down, with testing coming up soon. Praying for all students in the midst of exams. Calm their minds and soothe their spirits. Especially I pray for the students in CO who experienced yet another senseless shooting at their school. Be with these kids, parents and teacher as they try to make sense of the tragedy.
    Blessings to all our UR family as we wind down the week and prepare for a restful weekend.

  • Julie Posted May 10, 2019 8:09 am

    I will also try adding this to my evening prayers. Betsy, you have a good idea of having these questions in our minds throughout the day to stay focused on the Lord always.
    Prayers for Jill and thankful for restorative rest and kitty companions.
    Prayers for Robert, thanksgiving for good condo news and may the Methodist conference determine also that God is about love for all.
    Prayers for Betsy and her family and happy first grandmother’s day.
    Prayers for Mary and her father, may his appetite improve.
    Prayers for good health for Marcy.
    Prayers for good spirits for Connie.
    Prayers for Andrea and Lowell and good communication.
    Prayers for Lou’s children to surround her with love on mother’s day.
    Prayers and blessings and warm hugs and thank you for your prayers dear UR family

    • Mary Ng Shwu Ling Posted May 10, 2019 8:55 am

      Grateful for all your prayers.

      Yes, I do have reflection questions I wrote on my prayer journal and examine myself frequently.

      Dad was asking for all my siblings to come over. He said he’s not feeling well. Managed to get him to eat some porridge. He felt better but these days he can not sleep well and eat well.

      I commit dad and all of you into God’s hands. May God watch over us and help us to focus on Him.

      Blessings!

  • Marcy Posted May 10, 2019 4:13 pm

    Hello blessed UR Reflections siblings and friends! I am praying for Jill, Robert, Julie, Connie, Andrea, Mary, Betsy, Lou, Rusty and K, and praising God Edy’s Bill had successful surgery and good post surgery results. My dear loving family here at Reflections is a never-ending strength from God for me, and for the millionth time I thank our Father for leading me here. After six days of hospitization, I was transferred to a rehabilitation facility for vestibular therapy. However, the condition for this therapy is not present. The issue is the C-spine condition, 40 years in the making. It’s the cause of vision issues, the terrible and consistent migraines, the numbness and tingling in my hands, the weakness of my left arm and hand, and I will now be fighting for surgery, knowing my insurance as I do. I will have to have the bone spurs growing into my spinal column shaved down and the vertebrae fused. I can no longer go on this way and am battling to regain the strength and breath I had before May 1st. I need the prayers of our Loving community. I continue to sing a praise song each day and remain fully invested in God and trusting Jesus. Loneliness is a curse, at these times. The residents here say they will miss me whenever I leave. Thank you, God, for allowing me to be a blessing to others, even though I don’t quite know what is coming through me. Must be Your boundless infinite Love, Father!

    And these three remain: Faith, Hope and Love, and the greatest of these is LOVE! Loving each of you, so thankful for you and though I miss daily commenting, never doubt you are all in my prayers. God knows the needs of those I don’t and I am praying for you, too! Praising God’s Holy Name, Jesus Christ continues to carry me and the Holy Spirit lives on within me!

  • Marcy Posted May 10, 2019 4:21 pm

    So sorry, I forgot the question. I have an evening prayer book with which I end each day. While I can’t currently locate it, I listen you Charles Hadden Spurgeon, prayers, meditation, for each morning and evening. Also some other evening devotionals and daily ask forgiveness for any sinful, judgemental thoughts, words and continue to pray simultaneously for justice to be done in this country toward the sick, needy, disabled and underpaid; the refugee, the immigrant,the disenfranchised and the same the world over.

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