Prayer is not overcoming God's reluctance; it is laying hold of His highest willingness." Tim Keller Are You Filled with the Fullness of God? Shared joy is a double joy; shared sorrow is half a sorrow.” – Swedish proverb

Today’s Reflection I know the places in my soul where the past makes its presence known, the occasions when memories surface, inviting my attention, encouraging me to see within them what I had not seen before. They come bearing comfort, or they come to offer questions. —Jan L. Richardson, In the Sanctuary of Women: A Companion for Reflection and Prayer (Upper Room Books, 2010)🙏

Zechariah 14:9 NKJV [9] And the Lord shall be King over all the earth. In that day it shall be— “The Lord is one,” And His name one. https://bible.com/bible/114/zec.14.9.NKJV

The Lord is my shepherd. I lack nothing. He lets me rest in grassy meadows; he leads me to restful waters; he keeps me alive. Psalm 23:1-3a

https://www.bible.com/verse-of-the-day/ZEC.14.9/97928

The Lord is my shepherd. I lack nothing. He lets me rest in grassy meadows; he leads me to restful waters; he keeps me alive. Psalm 23:1-3a

The Lord is my shepherd. I lack nothing. He lets me rest in grassy meadows; he leads me to restful waters; he keeps me alive. Psalm 23:1-3a

https://youtu.be/3Dv4-n6OYGI?si=XiQdLsi1mKBReHRj

We wait. Waiting can build anticipation. Waiting can build anxiety. As you pause in this moment today, what emotions do you bring with you while awaiting the Christ-child? May your heart be settled that you do not wait alone. “He has shown strength with his arm. He has scattered those with arrogant thoughts and proud inclinations. He has pulled the powerful down from their thrones and lifted up the lowly. He has filled the hungry with good things and sent the rich away empty-handed. He has come to the aid of his servant Israel, remembering his mercy, just as he promised to our ancestors, to Abraham and to Abraham’s descendants forever.” Luke 1:51-55 From D365 Devotional

Romans 10:17 AMP [17] So faith comes from hearing [what is told], and what is heard comes by the [preaching of the] message concerning Christ. https://bible.com/bible/1588/rom.10.17.AMP

Romans 10:17 AMP [17] So faith comes from hearing [what is told], and what is heard comes by the [preaching of the] message concerning Christ. https://bible.com/bible/1588/rom.10.17.AMP

This week’s featured book: Writings of John of the Cross by Keith Beasley-Topliffe, Editor Today’s Reflection Allow the soul to remain in rest and quietude even though it may seem obvious to them that they are doing nothing and wasting time. . . . Be content simply with a loving and peaceful attentiveness to God. —St. John of the Cross, The Upper Room Spiritual Classics: Writings of John of the Cross, Edited by Keith Beasley-Topliffe (Upper Room Books, 2017) Today’s Question How often do you “waste time” with God? How has it born fruit in your life? Join the conversation. Today’s Scripture But their delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law they meditate day and night. —Psalm 1:2 (NRSVUE) Prayer for the Week O God, I want nothing more than to simply be with you. As I bask in the light of your presence, mold me into Christlikeness so that I can bear your light into the world. Amen. Submit your prayer to The Upper Room. Something More Lectionary Readings Third Sunday of Advent Isaiah 35:1-10 Psalm 146:5-10 James 5:7-10 Matthew 11:2-11 Read the lectionary texts courtesy of Vanderbilt Divinity Library here. Looking for lectionary-based resources? Learn more about The Upper Room Disciplines. Share Share Tweet Tweet Forward Forward Facebook Instagram Website Copyright © 2025 The Upper Room, All rights reserved. You are receiving this email because you informed us that you would like to receive news and updates from The Upper Room or you opted in at our website. Want to change how you receive New Every Morning and other emails from The Upper Room? Sign up for other newsletters, manage your preferences, or unsubscribe from all communications. The Upper Room UpperRoom.org Our mailing address is: The Upper Room 1908 Grand Avenue Nashville, Tennessee 37212 Add us to your address book Pray with us. Submit a prayer request or visit The Upper Room Prayer Wall.

Subscribe to the podcast on Apple podcasts or Spotify. December 13, 2025 Away from Idols, Toward God LISTEN ONLINE consecration Wake up, sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you. Jesus, I belong to you. I lift up my heart to you. I set my mind on you. I fix my eyes on you. I offer my body to you as a living sacrifice. Jesus, we belong to you. Praying in the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, amen. scripture Psalm 16 (NIV) Keep me safe, my God, for in you I take refuge. I say to the LORD, “You are my Lord; apart from you I have no good thing.” I say of the holy people who are in the land, “They are the noble ones in whom is all my delight.” Those who run after other gods will suffer more and more. I will not pour out libations of blood to such gods or take up their names on my lips. LORD, you alone are my portion and my cup; you make my lot secure. The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; surely I have a delightful inheritance. I will praise the LORD, who counsels me; even at night my heart instructs me. I keep my eyes always on the LORD. With him at my right hand, I will not be shaken. Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices; my body also will rest secure, because you will not abandon me to the realm of the dead, nor will you let your faithful one see decay. You make known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand. consider this This psalm is a master class in what it looks like to rejoice in God. At the beginning, the psalmist makes a bold statement: “You are my Lord; apart from you I have no good thing” (v. 2). It’s a declaration that all true goodness, satisfaction, and joy can only come from a loving relationship with God. But what about when our joy is absent? When our hearts are restless and burdened? The answer likely lies in where our love and devotion are being directed. Verse 4 contains a sobering insight into why we may be experiencing a lack of joy: “Those who run after other gods will suffer more and more.” The word translated as suffering here specifically refers to a sorrow, pain, injury, or wound. The ESV puts it this way: “The sorrows of those who run after another god shall multiply.” Many idols promise to bring us joy: money, power, status, sex, approval, beauty, popularity, control, success . . . the list goes on and on. We pursue these things in hope that they will live up to their promise, but we find that the opposite is true. We’re left wounded and empty, in some cases worse off than when we started. Our sorrows have multiplied. We were created to worship, and the human desire for joy and contentment is actually a good thing. I believe God created us with these desires so that we might find they are met in Him. The problem is when our design as worshippers and these God-given desires are directed toward the wrong things. The psalm exemplifies to us that lasting joy is found in friendship and relationship with God. The psalmist receives counsel from God in the late watches of the night; his eyes are on God always, and he knows God is at his right hand. Life with God is a priority, and friendship with God is a reality. This results in a glad heart, a mouth that rejoices in God, and a body that rests secure in the promise that we will not be abandoned. The love and proximity of God to us produce joy and love for God in us. Why? Because God can live up to the promise other gods can’t. The deepest desires and longings of our hearts can only be perfectly fulfilled in God. If you’re feeling empty, joyless, sorrowful, or wounded, I’d like to invite you to consider that God may be inviting you to deeper companionship and delight in Himself, to turn away from idols and return to Him afresh. response prompts What idols are you tempted to pursue in search of joy? Consider the following: approval, control, comfort, doctrinal pride, entertainment, politics, success, productivity, and so forth. prayer My God, You are my God. In Your presence there is fullness of joy. I know that apart from You, I have no good thing. With You, I have every good thing. I confess that I have worshipped lesser gods and I have loved lesser things more than I have loved You. Today, I turn away from the idol(s) of [name what you answered in the prompt] and turn toward You. I receive Your forgiveness. Thank You, God, that You loved me first. Help me to love You rightly and to rest in Your love for me. Amen. sing Today, we will sing "King of Kings" (hymn 561) from our Seedbed hymnal, Our Great Redeemer's Praise. for the awakening, Anna Grace Legband Anna Grace Legband is Associate Director of Events at Seedbed, supporting leaders and local churches within the New Room network as they sow for a great awakening. She and her husband, Brandon, are involved in ministry and community life at Arise Church in Lexington, Kentucky. Post it, share it, or simply hit "forward." Your word-of-mouth remains our most impactful way of inviting others into this mission—sharing our story is as simple, joyful, and powerful as planting seeds! Share on Facebook Share on Facebook Share with a Friend Share with a Friend Sow much more. Join us over the forty days of Lent for Jesus Asking, as J. D. weaves together Scripture and stories to enrich our journey to the cross with Jesus. Starting with what he calls The Question of All Questions—"Who do you say that I am?"—J. D. unfolds the compelling story of how his mentor taught him three transformational questions. Simple and profound, these questions will awaken your faith and deepen your walk with Jesus. We have books and a church kit available now to order! As requested, our Sermon on the Mount flash card deck is here! Created for young and old alike, featuring the entire Sermon on the Mount—the greatest sermon in the history of the world—with accompanying illustrations designed to aid lifelong rememberization. May these cards help the seeds of God’s Word take deep root in your life as you sow the love of God in your heart, home, church, and city. Order your sets for Christmas now! The Wake-Up Call exists because of the generosity of our Seed Team—faithful readers and listeners like you. Together, your gifts make it possible for Seedbed to offer the Wake-Up Call, Bible studies, and sow much more into the lives of our communities. If you’re not already part of the Seed Team, we’d love to invite you to join us in this good and growing work. Join the Seed Team! Copyright © 2025 Seedbed, Inc. All rights reserved. Facebook Instagram YouTube Website Unsubscribing from this email removes you from all our lists. It may prevent us from fulfilling your product orders, too. 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From a knowledge of His work, we shall know Him.” Robert Boyle

I thank my God every time I mention you in my prayers. I’m thankful for all of you every time I pray, and it’s always a prayer full of joy. I’m glad because of the way you have been my partners in the ministry of the gospel from the time you first believed it until now. I’m sure about this: the one who started a good work in you will stay with you to complete the job by the day of Christ Jesus. Philippians 1:3-6