Thursday, August 25, 2005

Good Morning!

The new unit for this week is Unit 17 -- God as Loving Parent

Focus Scripture for the Week: Isaiah 66:13

As a mother comforts her child, so I will comfort you; you shall be comforted.

Today's Scriptures: Matthew 12:46-50

Today's Discussion:

-- the scripture today gives us a different take on the implications of God as a loving parent. If God is our Father, than those who believe in him are brothers and sisters in the faith as well.

-- just as we sometimes fail to appreciate or to embrace the idea of God as concerned parent who is active in our day to day lives, we also fail to feel or fully embrace the brotherhood or sisterhood of those in our church family. The idea of "brothers and sisters in Christ" is something we hear but don't really know what to do with, primarily because it expresses a closeness of relationship in theory that doesn't is difficult to see in reality.

-- we should think of that concept of "brothers and sisters in Christ" as something we should strive for; it is a thought that gives us a model for our church relationships. One of the ways we can strengthen that is prayer for each other, which is why we have a daily prayer for a class member on the email each day. Another way is to have the confidence that while we are separate, we are sharing the some of the same thoughts each day as we try to live the life that we are called to live. This is just a bit of what Jesus meant in verse 50.

Question for Sunday:

-- what can we do to build a better sense of brotherhood/sisterhood among our group?

Today's prayer request: Our troops in Iraq

We have not remembered these men and women much since Jay Michael's return, but we still have so many over there in Iraq and in harm's way, and another 1,500 are going in the next week or so. We just need to pray for their safety and courage.
Today's class member prayer:

Carl McKinney

Have a great day.

Jay