No More Islands (Part 3): Beauty Amidst the Wreckage

#1 Listen to “No More Islands: Beauty Amidst the Wreckage”

Consider this Sunday morning’s lesson. You can listen here: http://bit.ly/1gCDfNL

Or watch here [video will be posted by Monday each week]: www.vimeo.com/rrcoc

What stuck out to you as interesting?

Did you encounter any challenging or re-orienting truth?

How’d it make you feel?

 

#2 If You Build It

Think of your all time favorite fictional couple (or friendship). It can be a couple from TV, the movies, a book. What makes their relationship so great?

Make a list of great-relationship characteristics, considering all of your favorite fictional relationships.

Look over what you've written. Which of those good-relationship traits could potentially characterize a healthy relationship with God?

--

We said on Sunday that having a relationship with God sustains us when trouble comes.

How do we develop a relationship with God? What habits or practices will acquaint us with and connect us to God?

In your experience, what is it that knits you to God?

Read Psalm 27. Obviously David and God are in relationship. What signs do you see of that? Which of David's practices (as outlined here in Psalm 27) might we adopt in an effort to grow closer to God?

After reading David's description of his relationship with God, is there anything you'd like to improve in your relationship with God? Imagine you and God are in a beautiful, growing, healthy, just-about-perfect relationship. Describe what that would look like.

  • What kinds of things would you do and say?
  • What kind of person would you be?
  • How would you spend your time?
  • What would be important to you that isn't now?
  • What wouldn't be important anymore?

 

#4 Torn

Read Psalm 22.

What sticks out to you about this Psalm?

What are David's circumstances as he writes it?

According to his words in this Psalm, does David have a relationship with God?

What does David expect from God? How do those expectations affect the way David suffers?

Have you ever experienced a time when God seemed far? How did God remind you of His presence? If you didn't feel God's presence, why do you think that was?

 

#5 Revisit

Several months ago we featured a series of videos on grief on Sunday mornings. Watch this one and then answer these questions:

  • How did Belinda's relationship with God sustain her?
  • How has Tim's relationship with God sustained him?
  • Does the way Tim and Belinda walked through hardship inspire anything in you? Does it make you want to do anything or change anything?

 

#6 Call God

Justin joked on Sunday about making another video and having our members call God to thank Him for what He's done. Suppose we did. If you could only thank Him for things that have happened in the last two weeks, what would you say to God on the phone?

Guest User