Wednesday, August 24, 2005

Good Morning!

Good morning again from Atlanta! Back home today though. On the Promotion Sunday question, I think we will go ahead and have class as scheduled for those who don't need to be involved with the promotion service.

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: Luke 2:41-51

Today's Discussion:

-- today's scripture is the story about Jesus accidentally being left behind in Jerusalem by his parents on a visit there. That isn't as bad a reflection on Mary and Joseph as it might seem. As I have heard it explained, the men and women traveled in separate portions of a caravan. The younger children, and older girls would travel with the women, and the older boys would travel with the men. Jesus, at 12, was just at the age where he might have been in either group. So it was essentially is "he with you -- no, I thought he was with you" scenario.

-- I think that the thing I take away from this scripture, as regards our unit topic, is what Mary and Joseph did - when Jesus was lost, they went back to find him. It's what any parent would do -- to come to think of it, it's what Beth Holloway did in Aruba. A parent's first instinct is to go and find their child and bring them back. That's what God does for us -- he is always searching for us, finding us as we go astray. It is a different spin on the idea of prevenient grace, that topic we studied earlier in this study.

Question for Sunday:

-- do you have a story about how God found you after you had drifted away from him?

Today's prayer request: Amanda and David Edwards' daughter Kasey.

We need to continue remember Kasey -- she isn't sick, but she is having a terrible time adjusting to school -- she's been acting up a great deal, and Amanda and David have been called to school once already, and the school has said that they will suspend Kasey for a week if it happens again. Kasey has been diagnosed with ODD (Oppositional Defiant Disorder), and they are still trying to find medication that works for her in treating this. This has been a very trying situation for all of them, and Amanda said that they could really use all of our prayers.

Today's class member prayer:

Megan Douglas

Have a great day.

Jay