Hunger, Sacrifice, Hope

This was the theme this weekend for the elementary school retreat. As the students learned how this looks in their lives, the adults did some visioning about education for our faith community. We too soon found out that hunger, sacrifice and hope are part of how we had been approaching a new way of learning and growing. We are hungering for something more for our kids. We sacrifice time and energies to seek out what that is and we hope for deeper relationships to grow with God and with one another. In doing so we also found that we too want the same as our children the deeper relationship with God that hungers for more.

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness for they shall be filled. Matthew 5:6

Overwhelmed by Abundance

⁴ When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch.”⁵ Simon answered, “Master, we’ve worked hard all night and haven’t caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets.”⁶ When they had done so, they caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to break. ⁷ So they signaled their partners in the other boat to come and help them, and they came and filled both boats so full that they began to sink.⁸ When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus’ knees and said, “Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!” ⁹ For he and all his companions were astonished at the catch of fish they had taken, ¹⁰ and so were James and John, the sons of Zebedee, Simon’s partners. Then Jesus said to Simon, “Don’t be afraid; from now on you will fish for people.” ¹¹ So they pulled their boats up on shore, left everything and followed him. Luke 5:4-11

When Peter first encountered Jesus he, I am sure, did not know what to think. He asked him to do something which was outside of his realm of thinking.

“Put out our nets? I am an experience fisherman; the fish are not biting Jesus!” But this was not the answer Peter gave, instead he trusted and possibly humored Jesus and did what he asked…with amazing results!

What if we did the same today? Truly listened, trusted and became astonished!

Astonished by the large amount.

Astonished to the point of being overwhelmed by God’s abundance.

Astonished to the point of dropping everything and following Jesus!

Prayer

Our Father who art in heaven….

We all know this familiar prayer; we say it in church each Sunday before communion, right?

This past weekend our confirmation students looked deeper into the Lord’s Prayer while we were on our retreat. We found out that Jesus taught it to his disciples, His dear friends. He wanted them to have a close relationship with God.

He wanted them to know they could talk with Him anytime, even after He was physically gone.

 We too want that close relationship with God, we long for it, even when we really can’t put our finger on it or put it into words.

The students re-wrote the prayer in their own words and found it surprising simular to Matthew’s recording of it:

⁹ “This, then, is how you should pray:

“‘Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
¹⁰ your kingdom come,
your will be done,
    on earth as it is in heaven.
¹¹ Give us today our daily bread.
¹² And forgive us our debts,
    as we also have forgiven our debtors.
¹³ And lead us not into temptation,^[a]
    but deliver us from the evil one.^[b]’

Matthew 6:9-13 NIV

Lord’s Prayer       restated

Father,

We praise your name.

We embrace your love,

Help us love each other.

Give us what we need today,

And lead us to you.

Teach us to forgive others,

As you have forgiven us.

Pull us away from sin

And point us in the direction of truth.

As you guide us towards heaven,

Where all praise and glory belong to you,

Always.         Amen