Week Three

Gods’s Paths, Our Poverty

SEEDS TO SOW: ASKING FOR ANCIENT PATHS (See Jeremiah 6: 16) *

Read Psalm 40

Gods’s Paths, Our Poverty... in the light of the Psalms.

The language in this psalm is multi-layered and intense, swinging between various extremes. How do you react to the intensity of the language and imagery?

Read Jeremiah 6: 16-20

Our paths.

This passage invites us to reflect upon the ancient paths wherein the good way lies. To search out the well worn ways of peace. So why do we so often look for shortcuts that lead to injustice?

Not listening to trumpets (verse 17) can be pretty hard. They normally have a way of making themselves heard. And yet we humans fail to hear the warning sounds of catastrophe all the time. How must it feel for God to see us tune out the trumpets and take poor paths again and again? Why is it important to put ourselves in God’s place and ask questions like this?

Read Romans 12: 1-2

Gods’s Paths, Our Poverty... in the light of the resurrection.

We live our lives in the ongoing ripple effect of the great act of reconciliation of the cross. Because of this Paul encourage us to live our lives as a living sacrifice to God in gratitude for what we have received. What does Paul mean by ‘sacrifice’? Does it go beyond depriving yourself a bar of chocolate at Lent?

* SEEDS TO SOW: These are open-ended and optional prompts and are designed for people wanting to develop their own resources in response to the themes. Perhaps if you are using this material as a group you could use these prompts to inspire a time of prayer, or drawing, or creative writing? They are a short and sweet, simply a starting off place for you and your imagination. Tailor and develop as suits your group.