The Upper Room Daily Reflections The Upper Room of the United Methodist Church in Nashville, Tennessee, United States for Wednesday, 30 October 2019 Stories of Hope and Courage
The Upper Room Daily Reflections The Upper Room <MinistryEngagement@upperroom.org> of the United Methodist Church in Nashville, Tennessee, United States for Wednesday, 30 October 2019 Stories of Hope and Courage
Upper Room Daily Reflections
Wednesday, 30 October 2019
Today’s Reflection:
STORIES HOLD MYSTERY and meaning together, and, therefore, they hold the power to put us in touch with the Divine, perhaps even removing the negative stories we have heard about ourselves and replacing them with stories of hope and courage. They help us move beyond our fears and fantasies and remind us of the presence of the Divine within and around us. (Michael E. Williams, Spoken into Being: Divine Encounters Through Story (Upper Room Books, 2017))
Today’s Question:
How might your story change if you remembered the Divine presence within and around you? Share your thoughts.
Today’s Scripture: “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33 (NIV))
Prayer for the Week:
I love to tell the story
For those who know it best
Seem hungering and thirsting
To hear it like the rest.
I love to tell the story
Of unseen things above
Of Jesus and his glory
Of Jesus and his love
I love to tell the story
Because I know 'tis true
It satisfies my longings
As nothing else can do
I love to tell the story
'Twill be my theme in glory
To tell the old, old story
Of Jesus and his love
I love to tell the story
For those who know it best
Seem hungering and thirsting
To hear it like the rest
And when in scenes of glory
I sing the new, new song
'Twill be the old, old story
That I have loved so long
I love to tell the story
'Twill be my theme in glory
To tell the old, old story
Of Jesus and his love
To tell the old, old story
Of Jesus and his love Amen.
From “I Love to Tell the Story” by
Katherine Hankey, The United Methodist Hymnal, No. 156
Submit your prayer to The Upper Room or share it in the comment section.
Something More:
(Courtesy of Vanderbilt Divinity Library)
Habakkuk 1:1-4; 2:1-4
Psalm 32:1-7
2 Thessalonians 1:1-4, 11-12
Luke 19:1-1
Habakkuk 1:1-4
1 This is the prophecy which Havakuk the prophet saw: 2 ADONAI, how long must I cry without your hearing? "Violence!" I cry to you, but you don't save. 3 Why do you make me see wrongdoing, why do you permit oppression? Pillage and cruelty confront me, so that strife and discord prevail. 4 Therefore Torah is not followed; justice never gets rendered, because the wicked fence in the righteous. This is why justice comes out perverted.
Habakkuk 2:1-4
1 I will stand at my watchpost; I will station myself on the rampart. I will look to see what [God] will say through me and what I will answer when I am reproved. 2 Then ADONAI answered me; he said, "Write down the vision clearly on tablets, so that even a runner can read it. 3 For the vision is meant for its appointed time; it speaks of the end, and it does not lie. It may take a while, but wait for it; it will surely come, it will not delay. 4 "Look at the proud: he is inwardly not upright; but the righteous will attain life through trusting faithfulness.
Psalm 32:1-7
1 By David. A maskil: How blessed are those whose offense is forgiven, those whose sin is covered! 2 How blessed those to whom ADONAI imputes no guilt, in whose spirit is no deceit! 3 When I kept silent, my bones wasted away because of my groaning all day long; 4 day and night your hand was heavy on me; the sap in me dried up as in a summer drought. (Selah) 5 When I acknowledged my sin to you, when I stopped concealing my guilt, and said, "I will confess my offenses to ADONAI"; then you, you forgave the guilt of my sin. (Selah) 6 This is what everyone faithful should pray at a time when you can be found. Then, when the floodwaters are raging, they will not reach to him. 7 You are a hiding-place for me, you will keep me from distress; you will surround me with songs of deliverance. (Selah)
2 Thessalonians 1:1-4
1 From: Sha'ul, Sila and Timothy To: The Messianic Community of the Thessalonians, united with God our Father and the Lord Yeshua the Messiah: 2 Grace to you and shalom from God the Father and the Lord Yeshua the Messiah. 3 We have to keep thanking God for you always, brothers, as is appropriate; because your trust continues to grow greater, and the love you each have for one another continues to increase. 4 Therefore, we boast about you in the congregations of God because of your perseverance and trust in all the persecutions and troubles you are going through.
2 Thessalonians 1:11-12
11 With this in view, we always pray for you that our God may make you worthy of his calling and may fulfill by his power every good purpose of yours and every action stemming from your trust. 12 In this way, the name of our Lord Yeshua will be glorified in you, and you in him, in accordance with the grace of our God and the Lord Yeshua the Messiah.
Luke 19:1-10
1 Yeshua entered Yericho and was passing through, 2 when a man named Zakkai appeared who was a chief tax-collector and a wealthy man. 3 He was trying to see who Yeshua was; but, being short, he couldn't, because of the crowd. 4 So he ran on ahead and climbed a fig tree in order to see him, for Yeshua was about to pass that way. 5 When he came to the place, he looked up and said to him, "Zakkai! Hurry! Come down, because I have to stay at your house today!" 6 He climbed down as fast as he could and welcomed Yeshua joyfully. 7 Everyone who saw it began muttering, "He has gone to be the house-guest of a sinner." 8 But Zakkai stood there and said to the Lord, "Here, Lord, I am giving half of all I own to the poor; and if I have cheated anyone, I will pay him back four times as much." 9 Yeshua said to him, "Today salvation has come to this house, inasmuch as this man too is a son of Avraham. 10 For the Son of Man came to seek and save what was lost."
Looking for lectionary-based resources? Learn more about The Upper Room Disciplines.
Upper Room Daily Reflections
The Upper Room <MinistryEngagement@upperroom.org>
Upper Room Daily Reflections
The Image of God
Tuesday, 29 October 2019
Today’s Reflection
ONE IMPORTANT reason that I believe all human beings have the capability to be storytellers is because each of us is stamped with the image of God, who spoke the entire universe into being as a story. God’s story of Creation sets the standard for all stories that have ever been told and will ever be told. The places, people, and objects that make up every story we tell were prese
E. Williams, Spoken into Being: Divine Encounters Through Story (Upper Room Books, 2017)
Today’s Question:
What does the story of Creation tell us about how God works? Share your thoughts.
Today’s Scripture:
“The heavens and the earth and all who live in them were completed. On the sixth day God completed all the work that he had done, and on the seventh day God rested from all the work that he had done. God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it God rested from all the work of creation.”
(Genesis 2:1-3 (CEB))
Prayer for the Week:
I love to tell the story
For those who know it best
Seem hungering and thirsting
To hear it like the rest.
(From “I Love to Tell the Story” by
Katherine Hankey, The United Methodist Hymnal, No. 156)
Submit your prayer to The Upper Room or share it in the comment section.
Something More:
During Advent we think about a wondrous mystery: that God chose to become human and lived among us. Rediscover The Wondrous Mystery this Advent.
Lectionary Readings:
(Courtesy of Vanderbilt Divinity Library)
Habakkuk 1:1-4; 2:1-4
Psalm 32:1-7
2 Thessalonians 1:1-4, 11-12
Luke 19:1-10
Habakkuk 1:1-4
Looking for lectionary-based resources? Learn more about The Upper Room Disciplines.
Upper Room Daily Reflections
The Upper Room <MinistryEngagement@upperroom.org
Upper Room Daily Reflections
God in the World
Today’s Reflection:
INTEGRATING SPIRITUALITY and photography takes us on a powerful journey, which deepens the way we experience photography—whether a full day or a few minutes. The process we followed moved us from running out the door in search of the “magical perfect picture” to a day of receiving the gift of light sent our way through the eyes of the heart and soul. We finish the day with more than a series of pictures. We return home with a renewed sense of the Spirit’s companionship, a newly attuned eye to see God in the world, and a soul that has been fed by seeing the story God placed in front of us.(Valerie K. Isenhower, Meditation on Both Sides of the Camera: A Spiritual Journey in Photography (Upper Room Books, 2012))
Today’s Question:
Where do you experience a renewed sense of the Spirit’s companionship? Share your thoughts.
Today’s Scripture:
“Heaven is declaring God’s glory;
the sky is proclaiming his handiwork.”(Psalm 19:1 (CEB))
Prayer for the Week:
Breathe on me, Breath of God.
Submit your prayer to The Upper Room or share it in the comment section.
Something More:
Sight Psalms is a daily online photo inspiration from The Upper Room intended to help people reflect on God’s presence in the world and in their lives through the use of images. Subscribe today
Emmaus eNews • October 2019
The Upper Room <MinistryEngagement@upperroom.org>
View this email in your browser
Renewing Christian Disciples • Strengthening Local Churches
OCTOBER 2019
WORDS FOR REFLECTION
“And will not God grant justice to his chosen ones who cry to him day and night? Will he delay long in helping them?” (Luke 18:7).
“It’s easy to get overwhelmed by injustices in the world. We hear about the suffering and we want to shut down, feeling that we can’t do anything that will help.” Continuing on your Fourth Day, for the next 60 days, you are invited to engage in a spiritual practice we are calling Lectio on Injustice. A form of Lectio Divina, this practice invites you to engage injustice in an attitude of prayer, listening for God’s word and God’s promptings.
HAPPY 41ST ANNIVERSARY!
November 1–4 is the 41st anniversary of The Walk to Emmaus. To mark this special milestone, Emmaus Ministries is inviting 200 people to donate $40 a year for the next five years to 40 for Emmaus, the operations fund of Emmaus Ministries. This would be a total of $8,000, which would go a long way to help the day-to-day running of the programs you love most: The Walk to Emmaus, Face to Face, Chrysalis, Journey to the Table, and Discovery Weekend.
Click to donate today.
HAS YOUR COMMUNITY SENT ITS GIFT THIS YEAR?
Over the years, we have seen existing communities strengthened and energized when they help new communities emerge. One of the known signs of a healthy Emmaus community is its involvement in growing new communities by supporting them financially through The GIFT, as well as by sending volunteers as team members. The excitement that builds encourages community growth, not just in numbers but also in spiritual growth through God’s grace.
Has your community held a fundraiser for The GIFT this year? We need your help in raising the $63,000 needed for 2019! If every community would send just $500, we could exceed that amount and help seed the plans for 2020.
Your GIFT makes it possible to begin Emmaus Ministries all over the world. Two examples are the first Men's and Women's "Caminata de Emaús" in Argentina this year.
ARGENTINA HOLDS FIRST MEN'S AND WOMEN'S CAMINATA DE EMAÚS
On August 22, 2019, the team—made up of experienced Emmaus members from Bolivia, Argentina, Puerto Rico, and even Iowa, New York, and Tennessee in the United States—gathered at the Centro de Espiritualidad Misericordia, Casa McAuley for the first Men’s Walk to Emmaus (Caminata de Emaús) in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Two weeks later, on September 5, 2019, much of the same team—with additions from Colombia and Mexico—gathered for the first Women's Walk to Emmaus.
We celebrate with the team of people in Argentina who have worked so hard for three years to bring these Walks to fruition.
We praise God for the new pilgrims who experienced the grace of God so beautifully expressed in the talks and the acts of agape love over the weekend.
We invite all Emmaus Ministries communities to join with us in praying for the future of this new community.
This work is made possible through the generous support of The GIFT by our Emmaus Ministries communities around the world. In addition, new communities are established because of the generous Christian Action of Emmaus members who give of their time and expertise. If you would like to be a part of a future International Emmaus team, contact Stephane Brooks at sbrooks@upperroom.org.
NEW EMMAUS MINISTRIES RESOURCES BEING TRANSLATED
As the Emmaus Ministries offerings continue to reach new countries, several translation projects are on the way. Indeed, in order to ensure that participants around the world are having a similar experience, the 2018 editions of the Emmaus Ministries Handbook and the Walk to Emmaus manuals are presently being translated in Spanish and Cantonese. The Spanish translation is the result of a partnership between The Upper Room and the National Plan for Hispanic and Latino Ministries, who continue to see in the various Emmaus Ministries offerings valuable tools to complement the disciple-making systems in local churches. The Cantonese translation project came into being as a result of conversations about the need to update and harmonize the resources in Asia. Immediately following the 2018 Asia Leadership Development event in Hong Kong, a team of five volunteers went to work under the leadership of Chu Ming Law, the Asia Regional Leader.
The Upper Room and the Emmaus Ministries International Office express their gratitude for partners and volunteers who continue to support their work in a multitude of ways.
Advent is just around the corner. Need help deciding which book is right for you? Take this quiz from Upper Room Books to find out: UpperRoomBooks.com/quiz.
PRAY FOR OUR GLOBAL COMMUNITY
We request your prayers for the upcoming fifth set of events in Nigeria, preparations for opening events in Colombia, and translation teams.
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The Walk to Emmaus, Chrysalis, Face to Face, Journey to the Table, and Discovery Weekend are a part of
Upper Room Daily Reflections
The Upper Room <MinistryEngagement@upperroom.org>
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Upper Room Daily Reflections
Co-creators
Today’s Reflection:
PART OF BEING an artist and co-creator with God comes in giving ourselves time and space to listen for the movement of the Spirit. We set time aside for paying attention to the interior movement, to the place where we connect with the Creator.(Valerie K. Isenhower, Meditation on Both Sides of the Camera: A Spiritual Journey in Photography (Upper Room Books, 2012))
Today’s Question:
What helps you listen for the movement of the Spirit? Share your thoughts.
Today’s Question:
“Be still, and know that I am God!
I am exalted among the nations,
I am exalted in the earth.”(Psalm 46:10 (NRSV))
Prayer for the Week:
Breathe on me, Breath of God.Amen.
Submit your prayer to The Upper Room or share it in the comment section.
Something More:
Sight Psalms is a daily online photo inspiration from The Upper Room intended to help people reflect on God’s presence in the world and in their lives through the use of images. Subscribe today.
Upper Room Daily Reflections
The Upper Room <MinistryEngagement@upperroom.org>
View this email in your browser
Upper Room Daily Reflections
Sacred Love
Today’s Reflection:
WHEN THE HOLY ONE reaches out to us as pilgrim travelers and bids us to join the dance, it is an invitation to live with the knowledge we are never alone. The One Who Loves Us accompanies us through life, wanting nothing more than for us to be whole. This Lover waits patiently for us to release our preoccupations with the things that dim our awareness of an ever-present love. Letting go of those things that cloud our vision, we experience an encounter with Sacred Love. These encounters ignite our passion for life, kindle the flame of creativity within, and invite us into a loving relationship with the Divine Creator.(Karla M. Kincannon, Creativity and Divine Surprise: Finding the Place of Your Resurrection (Upper Room Books, 2005))
Today’s Question:
What do you need to let go of today in order to encounter Sacred Love? Share your thoughts.
Today’s Scripture:
“As God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience.”(Colossians 3:12 (NRSV))
Prayer for the Week:
Holy One, help me discover my God-given creativity and find the sacred in each God-given moment.Amen.
Submit your prayer to The Upper Room or share it in the comment section.
Something More:
Which Advent study is right for you this year? Take our Advent quiz to find out.
Upper Room Daily Reflections
The Upper Room <MinistryEngagement@upperroom.org>
View this email in your browser
Upper Room Daily Reflections
Sacred Love
Today’s Reflection:
WHEN THE HOLY ONE reaches out to us as pilgrim travelers and bids us to join the dance, it is an invitation to live with the knowledge we are never alone. The One Who Loves Us accompanies us through life, wanting nothing more than for us to be whole. This Lover waits patiently for us to release our preoccupations with the things that dim our awareness of an ever-present love. Letting go of those things that cloud our vision, we experience an encounter with Sacred Love. These encounters ignite our passion for life, kindle the flame of creativity within, and invite us into a loving relationship with the Divine Creator.(Karla M. Kincannon, Creativity and Divine Surprise: Finding the Place of Your Resurrection (Upper Room Books, 2005))
Today’s Question:
What do you need to let go of today in order to encounter Sacred Love? Share your thoughts.
Today’s Scripture:
“As God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience.”(Colossians 3:12 (NRSV))
Prayer for the Week:
Holy One, help me discover my God-given creativity and find the sacred in each God-given moment.Amen.
Submit your prayer to The Upper Room or share it in the comment section.
Upper Room Daily Reflections
The Upper Room <MinistryEngagement@upperroom.org
View this email in your browser
Upper Room Daily Reflections
Preparing the Soil
Today’s Reflection:
WHEN I THINK of how God works in the life of the pilgrim, I remember the tireless work my dad put into preparing the soil for his garden. Just as he patiently readied the earth, so too God prepares the pilgrim’s heart to receive an encounter with Divine Love. Seasons before we become aware of the movement of God’s love in our life, and long before we see any evidence of the fruit of that love, seeds of faith, hope, and love already are growing in our pilgrim heart.
(Karla M. Kincannon, Creativity and Divine Surprise: Finding the Place of Your Resurrection (Upper Room Books, 2005))
Today’s Question:
When you look back, do you see moments where God was at work even before you realized? Share your thoughts.
Today’s Scripture:
“So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth.”(1 Corinthians 3:7 (NRSV))
Prayer for the Week:
Holy One, Help me discover my God-given creativity and find the sacred in each God-given moment.
Submit your prayer to The Upper Room or share it in the comment section.
Something More:
Which Advent study is right for you this year? Take our Advent quiz to find out.
Lectionary Readings:
(Courtesy of Vanderbilt Divinity Library)
Jeremiah 31:27-34;
Psalm 121;
2 Timothy 3:14-4:5;
Looking for lectionary-based resources? Learn more about The Upper Room Disciplines.
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STORIES HOLD MYSTERY and meaning together, and, therefore, they hold the power to put us in touch with the Divine, perhaps even removing the negative stories we have heard about ourselves and replacing them with stories of hope and courage. They help us move beyond our fears and fantasies and remind us of the presence of the Divine within and around us. (Michael E. Williams, Spoken into Being: Divine Encounters Through Story (Upper Room Books, 2017))
Today’s Question:
How might your story change if you remembered the Divine presence within and around you? Share your thoughts.
Today’s Scripture: “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33 (NIV))
Prayer for the Week:
I love to tell the story
For those who know it best
Seem hungering and thirsting
To hear it like the rest.
I love to tell the story
Of unseen things above
Of Jesus and his glory
Of Jesus and his love
I love to tell the story
Because I know 'tis true
It satisfies my longings
As nothing else can do
I love to tell the story
'Twill be my theme in glory
To tell the old, old story
Of Jesus and his love
I love to tell the story
For those who know it best
Seem hungering and thirsting
To hear it like the rest
And when in scenes of glory
I sing the new, new song
'Twill be the old, old story
That I have loved so long
I love to tell the story
'Twill be my theme in glory
To tell the old, old story
Of Jesus and his love
To tell the old, old story
Of Jesus and his love Amen.
From “I Love to Tell the Story” by
Katherine Hankey, The United Methodist Hymnal, No. 156
Submit your prayer to The Upper Room or share it in the comment section.
Something More:
During Advent we think about a wondrous mystery: that God chose to become human and lived among us.
Lectionary Readings:(Courtesy of Vanderbilt Divinity Library)
Habakkuk 1:1-4; 2:1-4
Psalm 32:1-7
2 Thessalonians 1:1-4, 11-12
Luke 19:1-1
Habakkuk 1:1-4
1 This is the prophecy which Havakuk the prophet saw: 2 ADONAI, how long must I cry without your hearing? "Violence!" I cry to you, but you don't save. 3 Why do you make me see wrongdoing, why do you permit oppression? Pillage and cruelty confront me, so that strife and discord prevail. 4 Therefore Torah is not followed; justice never gets rendered, because the wicked fence in the righteous. This is why justice comes out perverted.
Habakkuk 2:1-4
1 I will stand at my watchpost; I will station myself on the rampart. I will look to see what [God] will say through me and what I will answer when I am reproved. 2 Then ADONAI answered me; he said, "Write down the vision clearly on tablets, so that even a runner can read it. 3 For the vision is meant for its appointed time; it speaks of the end, and it does not lie. It may take a while, but wait for it; it will surely come, it will not delay. 4 "Look at the proud: he is inwardly not upright; but the righteous will attain life through trusting faithfulness.
Psalm 32:1-7
1 By David. A maskil: How blessed are those whose offense is forgiven, those whose sin is covered! 2 How blessed those to whom ADONAI imputes no guilt, in whose spirit is no deceit! 3 When I kept silent, my bones wasted away because of my groaning all day long; 4 day and night your hand was heavy on me; the sap in me dried up as in a summer drought. (Selah) 5 When I acknowledged my sin to you, when I stopped concealing my guilt, and said, "I will confess my offenses to ADONAI"; then you, you forgave the guilt of my sin. (Selah) 6 This is what everyone faithful should pray at a time when you can be found. Then, when the floodwaters are raging, they will not reach to him. 7 You are a hiding-place for me, you will keep me from distress; you will surround me with songs of deliverance. (Selah)
2 Thessalonians 1:1-4
1 From: Sha'ul, Sila and Timothy To: The Messianic Community of the Thessalonians, united with God our Father and the Lord Yeshua the Messiah: 2 Grace to you and shalom from God the Father and the Lord Yeshua the Messiah. 3 We have to keep thanking God for you always, brothers, as is appropriate; because your trust continues to grow greater, and the love you each have for one another continues to increase. 4 Therefore, we boast about you in the congregations of God because of your perseverance and trust in all the persecutions and troubles you are going through.
2 Thessalonians 1:11-12
11 With this in view, we always pray for you that our God may make you worthy of his calling and may fulfill by his power every good purpose of yours and every action stemming from your trust. 12 In this way, the name of our Lord Yeshua will be glorified in you, and you in him, in accordance with the grace of our God and the Lord Yeshua the Messiah.
Luke 19:1-10
1 Yeshua entered Yericho and was passing through, 2 when a man named Zakkai appeared who was a chief tax-collector and a wealthy man. 3 He was trying to see who Yeshua was; but, being short, he couldn't, because of the crowd. 4 So he ran on ahead and climbed a fig tree in order to see him, for Yeshua was about to pass that way. 5 When he came to the place, he looked up and said to him, "Zakkai! Hurry! Come down, because I have to stay at your house today!" 6 He climbed down as fast as he could and welcomed Yeshua joyfully. 7 Everyone who saw it began muttering, "He has gone to be the house-guest of a sinner." 8 But Zakkai stood there and said to the Lord, "Here, Lord, I am giving half of all I own to the poor; and if I have cheated anyone, I will pay him back four times as much." 9 Yeshua said to him, "Today salvation has come to this house, inasmuch as this man too is a son of Avraham. 10 For the Son of Man came to seek and save what was lost."
Looking for lectionary-based resources? Learn more about The Upper Room Disciplines.
Upper Room Daily Reflections
The Upper Room <MinistryEngagement@upperroom.org>
Upper Room Daily Reflections
The Image of God
Tuesday, 29 October 2019
Today’s Reflection
ONE IMPORTANT reason that I believe all human beings have the capability to be storytellers is because each of us is stamped with the image of God, who spoke the entire universe into being as a story. God’s story of Creation sets the standard for all stories that have ever been told and will ever be told. The places, people, and objects that make up every story we tell were prese
E. Williams, Spoken into Being: Divine Encounters Through Story (Upper Room Books, 2017)
Today’s Question:
What does the story of Creation tell us about how God works? Share your thoughts.
Today’s Scripture:
“The heavens and the earth and all who live in them were completed. On the sixth day God completed all the work that he had done, and on the seventh day God rested from all the work that he had done. God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it God rested from all the work of creation.”
(Genesis 2:1-3 (CEB))
Prayer for the Week:
I love to tell the story
For those who know it best
Seem hungering and thirsting
To hear it like the rest.
(From “I Love to Tell the Story” by
Katherine Hankey, The United Methodist Hymnal, No. 156)
Submit your prayer to The Upper Room or share it in the comment section.
Something More:
During Advent we think about a wondrous mystery: that God chose to become human and lived among us. Rediscover The Wondrous Mystery this Advent.
Lectionary Readings:
(Courtesy of Vanderbilt Divinity Library)
Habakkuk 1:1-4; 2:1-4
Psalm 32:1-7
2 Thessalonians 1:1-4, 11-12
Luke 19:1-10
Habakkuk 1:1-4
1 This is the prophecy which Havakuk the prophet saw:
2 Adonai, how long must I cry
without your hearing?
“Violence!” I cry to you,
but you don’t save.
3 Why do you make me see wrongdoing,
why do you permit oppression?
Pillage and cruelty confront me,
so that strife and discord prevail.
4 Therefore Torah is not followed;
justice never gets rendered,
because the wicked fence in the righteous.
This is why justice comes out perverted.
without your hearing?
“Violence!” I cry to you,
but you don’t save.
3 Why do you make me see wrongdoing,
why do you permit oppression?
Pillage and cruelty confront me,
so that strife and discord prevail.
4 Therefore Torah is not followed;
justice never gets rendered,
because the wicked fence in the righteous.
This is why justice comes out perverted.
2:1 I will stand at my watchpost;
I will station myself on the rampart. I will look to see what [God] will say through me and what I will answer when I am reproved.
2 Then Adonai answered me; he said,
“Write down the vision clearly on tablets,
so that even a runner can read it. 3 For the vision is meant for its appointed time; it speaks of the end, and it does not lie. It may take a while, but wait for it; it will surely come, it will not delay.
4 “Look at the proud: he is inwardly not upright;
but the righteous will attain life through trusting faithfulness. |
Psalm 32:1-7
32: (0) By David. A maskil:(1) How blessed are those whose offense is forgiven,those whose sin is covered!
2 How blessed those to whom Adonai imputes no guilt,
in whose spirit is no deceit!
3 When I kept silent, my bones wasted away
because of my groaning all day long; 4 day and night your hand was heavy on me; the sap in me dried up as in a summer drought. (Selah)
5 When I acknowledged my sin to you,
when I stopped concealing my guilt, and said, “I will confess my offenses to Adonai”; then you, you forgave the guilt of my sin. (Selah)
6 This is what everyone faithful should pray
at a time when you can be found. Then, when the floodwaters are raging, they will not reach to him.
7 You are a hiding-place for me,
you will keep me from distress; you will surround me with songs of deliverance. (Selah) |
2 Thessalonians 1:1-4
1 From: Sha’ul, Sila and Timothy
To: The Messianic Community of the Thessalonians, united with God our Father and the Lord Yeshua the Messiah:2 Grace to you and shalom from God the Father and the Lord Yeshua the Messiah. 3 We have to keep thanking God for you always, brothers, as is appropriate; because your trust continues to grow greater, and the love you each have for one another continues to increase. 4 Therefore, we boast about you in the congregations of God because of your perseverance and trust in all the persecutions and troubles you are going through. |
2 Thessalonians 1:11-12
11 With this in view, we always pray for you that our God may make you worthy of his calling and may fulfill by his power every good purpose of yours and every action stemming from your trust. 12 In this way, the name of our Lord Yeshua will be glorified in you, and you in him, in accordance with the grace of our God and the Lord Yeshua the Messiah. |
Luke 19:1-10
19:1 Yeshua entered Yericho and was passing through, 2 when a man named Zakkai appeared who was a chief tax-collector and a wealthy man. 3 He was trying to see who Yeshua was; but, being short, he couldn’t, because of the crowd. 4 So he ran on ahead and climbed a fig tree in order to see him, for Yeshua was about to pass that way. 5 When he came to the place, he looked up and said to him, “Zakkai! Hurry! Come down, because I have to stay at your house today!” 6 He climbed down as fast as he could and welcomed Yeshua joyfully. 7 Everyone who saw it began muttering, “He has gone to be the house-guest of a sinner.” 8 But Zakkai stood there and said to the Lord, “Here, Lord, I am giving half of all I own to the poor; and if I have cheated anyone, I will pay him back four times as much.” 9 Yeshua said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, inasmuch as this man too is a son of Avraham. 10 For the Son of Man came to seek and save what was lost.”(Complete Jewish Bible (CJB))
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God in the World
Today’s Reflection:
INTEGRATING SPIRITUALITY and photography takes us on a powerful journey, which deepens the way we experience photography—whether a full day or a few minutes. The process we followed moved us from running out the door in search of the “magical perfect picture” to a day of receiving the gift of light sent our way through the eyes of the heart and soul. We finish the day with more than a series of pictures. We return home with a renewed sense of the Spirit’s companionship, a newly attuned eye to see God in the world, and a soul that has been fed by seeing the story God placed in front of us.(Valerie K. Isenhower, Meditation on Both Sides of the Camera: A Spiritual Journey in Photography (Upper Room Books, 2012))
Today’s Question:
Where do you experience a renewed sense of the Spirit’s companionship? Share your thoughts.
Today’s Scripture:
“Heaven is declaring God’s glory;
the sky is proclaiming his handiwork.”(Psalm 19:1 (CEB))
Prayer for the Week:
Breathe on me, Breath of God.
Submit your prayer to The Upper Room or share it in the comment section.
Something More:
Sight Psalms is a daily online photo inspiration from The Upper Room intended to help people reflect on God’s presence in the world and in their lives through the use of images. Subscribe today
Emmaus eNews • October 2019
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Renewing Christian Disciples • Strengthening Local Churches
OCTOBER 2019
WORDS FOR REFLECTION
“And will not God grant justice to his chosen ones who cry to him day and night? Will he delay long in helping them?” (Luke 18:7).
“It’s easy to get overwhelmed by injustices in the world. We hear about the suffering and we want to shut down, feeling that we can’t do anything that will help.” Continuing on your Fourth Day, for the next 60 days, you are invited to engage in a spiritual practice we are calling Lectio on Injustice. A form of Lectio Divina, this practice invites you to engage injustice in an attitude of prayer, listening for God’s word and God’s promptings.
HAPPY 41ST ANNIVERSARY!
November 1–4 is the 41st anniversary of The Walk to Emmaus. To mark this special milestone, Emmaus Ministries is inviting 200 people to donate $40 a year for the next five years to 40 for Emmaus, the operations fund of Emmaus Ministries. This would be a total of $8,000, which would go a long way to help the day-to-day running of the programs you love most: The Walk to Emmaus, Face to Face, Chrysalis, Journey to the Table, and Discovery Weekend.
Click to donate today.
HAS YOUR COMMUNITY SENT ITS GIFT THIS YEAR?
Over the years, we have seen existing communities strengthened and energized when they help new communities emerge. One of the known signs of a healthy Emmaus community is its involvement in growing new communities by supporting them financially through The GIFT, as well as by sending volunteers as team members. The excitement that builds encourages community growth, not just in numbers but also in spiritual growth through God’s grace.
Has your community held a fundraiser for The GIFT this year? We need your help in raising the $63,000 needed for 2019! If every community would send just $500, we could exceed that amount and help seed the plans for 2020.
Your GIFT makes it possible to begin Emmaus Ministries all over the world. Two examples are the first Men's and Women's "Caminata de Emaús" in Argentina this year.
ARGENTINA HOLDS FIRST MEN'S AND WOMEN'S CAMINATA DE EMAÚS
On August 22, 2019, the team—made up of experienced Emmaus members from Bolivia, Argentina, Puerto Rico, and even Iowa, New York, and Tennessee in the United States—gathered at the Centro de Espiritualidad Misericordia, Casa McAuley for the first Men’s Walk to Emmaus (Caminata de Emaús) in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Two weeks later, on September 5, 2019, much of the same team—with additions from Colombia and Mexico—gathered for the first Women's Walk to Emmaus.
We celebrate with the team of people in Argentina who have worked so hard for three years to bring these Walks to fruition.
We praise God for the new pilgrims who experienced the grace of God so beautifully expressed in the talks and the acts of agape love over the weekend.
We invite all Emmaus Ministries communities to join with us in praying for the future of this new community.
This work is made possible through the generous support of The GIFT by our Emmaus Ministries communities around the world. In addition, new communities are established because of the generous Christian Action of Emmaus members who give of their time and expertise. If you would like to be a part of a future International Emmaus team, contact Stephane Brooks at sbrooks@upperroom.org.
NEW EMMAUS MINISTRIES RESOURCES BEING TRANSLATED
As the Emmaus Ministries offerings continue to reach new countries, several translation projects are on the way. Indeed, in order to ensure that participants around the world are having a similar experience, the 2018 editions of the Emmaus Ministries Handbook and the Walk to Emmaus manuals are presently being translated in Spanish and Cantonese. The Spanish translation is the result of a partnership between The Upper Room and the National Plan for Hispanic and Latino Ministries, who continue to see in the various Emmaus Ministries offerings valuable tools to complement the disciple-making systems in local churches. The Cantonese translation project came into being as a result of conversations about the need to update and harmonize the resources in Asia. Immediately following the 2018 Asia Leadership Development event in Hong Kong, a team of five volunteers went to work under the leadership of Chu Ming Law, the Asia Regional Leader.
The Upper Room and the Emmaus Ministries International Office express their gratitude for partners and volunteers who continue to support their work in a multitude of ways.
Advent is just around the corner. Need help deciding which book is right for you? Take this quiz from Upper Room Books to find out: UpperRoomBooks.com/quiz.
PRAY FOR OUR GLOBAL COMMUNITY
We request your prayers for the upcoming fifth set of events in Nigeria, preparations for opening events in Colombia, and translation teams.
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Co-creators
Today’s Reflection:
PART OF BEING an artist and co-creator with God comes in giving ourselves time and space to listen for the movement of the Spirit. We set time aside for paying attention to the interior movement, to the place where we connect with the Creator.(Valerie K. Isenhower, Meditation on Both Sides of the Camera: A Spiritual Journey in Photography (Upper Room Books, 2012))
Today’s Question:
What helps you listen for the movement of the Spirit? Share your thoughts.
Today’s Question:
“Be still, and know that I am God!
I am exalted among the nations,
I am exalted in the earth.”(Psalm 46:10 (NRSV))
Prayer for the Week:
Breathe on me, Breath of God.Amen.
Submit your prayer to The Upper Room or share it in the comment section.
Something More:
Sight Psalms is a daily online photo inspiration from The Upper Room intended to help people reflect on God’s presence in the world and in their lives through the use of images. Subscribe today.
Upper Room Daily Reflections
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Upper Room Daily Reflections
Sacred Love
Today’s Reflection:
WHEN THE HOLY ONE reaches out to us as pilgrim travelers and bids us to join the dance, it is an invitation to live with the knowledge we are never alone. The One Who Loves Us accompanies us through life, wanting nothing more than for us to be whole. This Lover waits patiently for us to release our preoccupations with the things that dim our awareness of an ever-present love. Letting go of those things that cloud our vision, we experience an encounter with Sacred Love. These encounters ignite our passion for life, kindle the flame of creativity within, and invite us into a loving relationship with the Divine Creator.(Karla M. Kincannon, Creativity and Divine Surprise: Finding the Place of Your Resurrection (Upper Room Books, 2005))
Today’s Question:
What do you need to let go of today in order to encounter Sacred Love? Share your thoughts.
Today’s Scripture:
“As God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience.”(Colossians 3:12 (NRSV))
Prayer for the Week:
Holy One, help me discover my God-given creativity and find the sacred in each God-given moment.Amen.
Submit your prayer to The Upper Room or share it in the comment section.
Something More:
Which Advent study is right for you this year? Take our Advent quiz to find out.
Upper Room Daily Reflections
The Upper Room <MinistryEngagement@upperroom.org>
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Upper Room Daily Reflections
Sacred Love
Today’s Reflection:
WHEN THE HOLY ONE reaches out to us as pilgrim travelers and bids us to join the dance, it is an invitation to live with the knowledge we are never alone. The One Who Loves Us accompanies us through life, wanting nothing more than for us to be whole. This Lover waits patiently for us to release our preoccupations with the things that dim our awareness of an ever-present love. Letting go of those things that cloud our vision, we experience an encounter with Sacred Love. These encounters ignite our passion for life, kindle the flame of creativity within, and invite us into a loving relationship with the Divine Creator.(Karla M. Kincannon, Creativity and Divine Surprise: Finding the Place of Your Resurrection (Upper Room Books, 2005))
Today’s Question:
What do you need to let go of today in order to encounter Sacred Love? Share your thoughts.
Today’s Scripture:
“As God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience.”(Colossians 3:12 (NRSV))
Prayer for the Week:
Holy One, help me discover my God-given creativity and find the sacred in each God-given moment.Amen.
Submit your prayer to The Upper Room or share it in the comment section.
Upper Room Daily Reflections
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Upper Room Daily Reflections
Preparing the Soil
Today’s Reflection:
WHEN I THINK of how God works in the life of the pilgrim, I remember the tireless work my dad put into preparing the soil for his garden. Just as he patiently readied the earth, so too God prepares the pilgrim’s heart to receive an encounter with Divine Love. Seasons before we become aware of the movement of God’s love in our life, and long before we see any evidence of the fruit of that love, seeds of faith, hope, and love already are growing in our pilgrim heart.
(Karla M. Kincannon, Creativity and Divine Surprise: Finding the Place of Your Resurrection (Upper Room Books, 2005))
Today’s Question:
When you look back, do you see moments where God was at work even before you realized? Share your thoughts.
Today’s Scripture:
“So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth.”(1 Corinthians 3:7 (NRSV))
Prayer for the Week:
Holy One, Help me discover my God-given creativity and find the sacred in each God-given moment.
Submit your prayer to The Upper Room or share it in the comment section.
Something More:
Which Advent study is right for you this year? Take our Advent quiz to find out.
Lectionary Readings:
(Courtesy of Vanderbilt Divinity Library)
Jeremiah 31:27-34;
Psalm 121;
2 Timothy 3:14-4:5;
Jeremiah 31:27-34
27 (28) At that time, just as I used to watch over them with the intent to uproot, break down, overthrow, destroy and do harm; so then I will watch over them to build and plant,” says Adonai. 28 (29) “When those days come they will no longer say,
‘The fathers have eaten sour grapes,
and the children’s teeth are set on edge.’
29 (30) Rather, each will die for his own sin;
every one who eats sour grapes,
his own teeth will be set on edge.
and the children’s teeth are set on edge.’
29 (30) Rather, each will die for his own sin;
every one who eats sour grapes,
his own teeth will be set on edge.
30 (31) “Here, the days are coming,” says Adonai, “when I will make a new covenant with the house of Isra’el and with the house of Y’hudah. 31 (32) It will not be like the covenant I made with their fathers on the day I took them by their hand and brought them out of the land of Egypt; because they, for their part, violated my covenant, even though I, for my part, was a husband to them,” says Adonai. 32 (33) “For this is the covenant I will make with the house of Isra’el after those days,” says Adonai: “I will put my Torah within them and write it on their hearts; I will be their God, and they will be my people. 33 (34) No longer will any of them teach his fellow community member or his brother, ‘Know Adonai’; for all will know me, from the least of them to the greatest; because I will forgive their wickednesses and remember their sins no more.”
34 (35) This is what Adonai says,
who gives the sun as light for the day,
who ordained the laws for the moon and stars
to provide light for the night,
who stirs up the sea until its waves roar —
Adonai-Tzva’ot is his name:
who gives the sun as light for the day,
who ordained the laws for the moon and stars
to provide light for the night,
who stirs up the sea until its waves roar —
Adonai-Tzva’ot is his name:
121 (0) A song of ascents:
(1) If I raise my eyes to the hills,
from where will my help come? 2 My help comes from Adonai, the maker of heaven and earth. 3 He will not let your foot slip — your guardian is not asleep. 4 No, the guardian of Isra’el never slumbers or sleeps.
5 Adonai is your guardian; at your right hand
Adonai provides you with shade — 6 the sun can’t strike you during the day or even the moon at night.
7 Adonai will guard you against all harm;
he will guard your life. 8 Adonai will guard your coming and going from now on and forever. |
14 But you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, recalling the people from whom you learned it; 15 and recalling too how from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which can give you the wisdom that leads to deliverance through trusting in Yeshua the Messiah. 16 All Scripture is God-breathed and is valuable for teaching the truth, convicting of sin, correcting faults and training in right living; 17 thus anyone who belongs to God may be fully equipped for every good work.
4 I solemnly charge you before God and the Messiah Yeshua, who will judge the living and the dead when he appears and establishes his Kingdom: 2 proclaim the Word! Be on hand with it whether the time seems right or not. Convict, censure and exhort with unfailing patience and with teaching.
3 For the time is coming when people will not have patience for sound teaching, but will cater to their passions and gather around themselves teachers who say whatever their ears itch to hear. 4 Yes, they will stop listening to the truth, but will turn aside to follow myths.5 But you, remain steady in every situation, endure suffering, do the work that a proclaimer of the Good News should, and do everything your service to God requires. |
18:1 Then Yeshua told his talmidim a parable, in order to impress on them that they must always keep praying and not lose heart. 2 “In a certain town, there was a judge who neither feared God nor respected other people. 3 There was also in that town a widow who kept coming to him and saying, ‘Give me a judgment against the man who is trying to ruin me.’ 4 For a long time he refused; but after awhile, he said to himself, ‘I don’t fear God, and I don’t respect other people; 5 but because this widow is such a nudnik, I will see to it that she gets justice — otherwise, she’ll keep coming and pestering me till she wears me out!’”
6 Then the Lord commented, “Notice what this corrupt judge says. 7 Now won’t God grant justice to his chosen people who cry out to him day and night? Is he delaying long over them? 8 I tell you that he will judge in their favor, and quickly! But when the Son of Man comes, will he find this trust on the earth at all?”(Complete Jewish Bible (CJB)) |
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