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A New Invitation
We take a giant step forward in Christian devotion when we see it more as a Read More
Melissa Earley | Read 1 Samuel 8:4-20
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Sign Up TodayThe fight over keeping the United States flag in the church’s sanctuary had been bitter. It was bitter enough that it came up in conversation several years later when I first started my ministry with the congregation. The feud ended with an agreement that the flag would reside in the...
God, our sovereign ruler, give us courage to live as your subjects while citizens of our nation. Amen.
We sometimes struggle to believe in the power of a God we cannot see. The psalmist declares that God is greater than any earthly king and will preserve us in the face of our enemies. However, in the time of Samuel, the Israelites demanded a human king to lead them into battle, as other nations had. God was not enough for them. Paul admonishes the Corinthians not to repeat this mistake. We should not think that what we can see is the ultimate reality. What we see is temporary; what cannot be seen is eternal. Perhaps Jesus is teaching a similar idea in this somewhat troubling passage in Mark. Jesus is not against family, but he is emphasizing that human families are temporary; spiritual family is eternal.
• Read 1 Samuel 8:4-20. How influenced by culture and neigh-
bors are you? How do you attempt to keep your priorities aligned with God’s reign?
• Read Psalm 138. How do you evaluate the “gods” in your life? How do you recognize when those gods have gained control of your life?
• Read 2 Corinthians 4:13–5:1. When life’s circumstances over-
whelm you, how do you avoid losing heart?
• Read Mark 3:20-35. Who is your spiritual family? Whom do you identify as your brothers, sisters, mother and father?
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"In solitude we discover that we are not what we do but what we are given; that we are not the result of our judgments but born out of God's love." Read more.
