Fifth Sunday of Ordinary Time

 

Opening Prayer

Father,

I hear you calling but I’m held back by…

fear and resentment

judgment and selfishness

sin and shame

Wipe away those things that bind me

Let me walk with you to edge

and take the leap of faith!

 

Journal/Reflection Questions

Isaiah 6:1-2a, 3-8

• Whom do you fear? Of what are you afraid?  Where does your fear come from?
• How to you tell God you are ready to do His will?

 1Corinthians 15:1-11 (15:3-8, 11)

• Have you fallen asleep to the purpose you have been called for? What can you do to find the passion and drive to go on?
• How would you describe someone who is “fit” to serve God?

 Luke 5:1-11

• When have you doubted God? What was your situation?  How did God change your heart?
• Are there people who are in deep waters who need you to come and bring them to the shore?

 

General Questions for Journaling

• How has God made you worthy of His love?
• Have you ever been paralyzed by fear?  What was the situation?  How did you overcome the fear?
• How has your life been shaken up?  Where was God during the storm?
• What has God called you to do?  Do you minimize the importance of your purpose?
• How many people from the Bible (old and new testaments) can you name who encountered God but felt they were not worthy?
• How many people from the Bible (old and new testaments) can you name whose lives were changed when they took a leap of faith to trust God entirely?
• How is grace distributed?
• What “work” is required to receive faith?  Grace?  Love?

 

Closing Prayer

Leader:  You created me with the will to choose…

ALL:  Let me choose YOU!

Leader:  You gave me a name and purpose…

 ALL:  Let me serve YOU!

Leader:  You walk the road ahead of me…

 ALL:  Let me follow YOU!

Leader:  You call me into the deep waters…

ALL:  Let me trust YOU!

Leader:  You welcome me to the shore…

ALL:  Let me be there with YOU!

 

 Challenge for the Week:   Spend time reflecting this week on a time in your life that is comparable to the experience of the fishermen…when was God asking you to do something you didn’t want to do because you thought you had exhausted all possibilities.  Did you do as He asked anyways?  Did you choose to ignore the suggestion and go a different direction?  Regardless of which path you took, share your story with someone to show how God blew you out of the deep water and onto the shore and how you would do it all over again (the same or differently) as a witness of your faith.