GOD ON MUTE

How am I going to get through this?

“And he said to them, ‘I am deeply grieved, even to death; remain here, and keep awake.’ … He said, ‘Abba, Father, for you all things are possible; remove this cup from me; yet, not what I want, but what you want.’” - Mark 14:34,36

Pause

“As a father has compassion for his children, so the Lord has compassion for those who fear him. For he knows how we were made; he remembers that we are dust.” - Psalm 103:13-14

Reflect

  • Bible: Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. He fasted for forty days and forty nights, and afterwards he was famished. The tempter came and said to him, ‘If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread.’ But he answered, ‘It is written, “One does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.”’ - Matthew 4:1-4

  • Book: “I prayed, like I’ve never prayed before, hopelessly, convinced that I was watching my wife die. I begged God to make the convulsions stop so that she could at least draw breath. I prayed in the name of Jesus. I tried to have faith. I invoked the power of his blood. I rebuked and renounced everything I could think of rebuking and renouncing. This was not prayer for a parking space or a sunny day. This seemed to me to be a matter of life and death. Sammy was turning blue, and bloodied spittle was blotting the pillow. The ambulance was taking forever. My prayers weren’t working.” (p.19)

Ask

  • Describe a time when you felt the compassion of God?

  • What does it mean to fear God?

  • Why might such fear be considered the beginning of wisdom?

  • “Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return.” - What does this statement mean, and how does it impact your approach to life?

  • Why did the Spirit lead Jesus into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil?

  • Have you ever prayed in the midst of a life or death situation, and felt like your prayers weren’t working? What did you learn from this experience?

Yield

“Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love; according to your abundant mercy blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me. … Create in me a clean heart, O God, and put a new and right spirit within me. Do not cast me away from your presence, and do not take your holy spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and sustain in me a willing spirit.” - Psalm 51:1-3,10-12



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