11^th Sunday of Ordinary Time

Opening Prayer

Creator God,

The harvest is abundant because You make it so.

You provide the soil, the sun and the nutrients to grow.

You care for the troubled and the abandoned.

You give whatever is needed, without cost.

This is the way You show Your love.

AMEN

Journal/Reflection Questions

Exodus 19:2-6a

• God called Moses to Him to share a message. What was the message. How is this message for Moses relevant to you too?
• What significance do think there is that they pitched the tents at the front of the mountain and Moses had to go up the mountain to talk to God?

Romans 5:6-11

• Identify three emotions you feel when you read or hear this scripture. What do each of the emotions mean?
• Where do you see evidence of Gods love for you today?

Matthew 9:36-10:8

• Can you relate to the disciples in the Gospel reading? In what way? Be specific.
• When you think of the “kingdom of heaven” what do you image?

General Questions for Journaling

• Share an example of a time when you KNOW God lifted you up from a depression or saved you from a negative situation.
• What or who do you hold dear? Can you list at least 10?
• When was the last time you hear God speak to you? What did He say? How did you respond?
• What is your favorite thing in nature?  Is it an animal, a tree, an image, a feeling.
• Scripture often refers to a shepherd and sheep. What are the references and what do you think God wants you to know/learn from this reference right now?  Are you currently a shepherd? A sheep? Both?
• Share an example of a time when you felt like a shepherd.
• Share an example of a time when you felt like a sheep.
• Does knowing you are a child of God change how you see or love yourself? Why or why not?
• Is there someone you would die for or give your life in place of? Who is it and why?
• Does your life feel like it is in the harvest season or the drought season? Explain.
• When you give praise and thanks to God, do you expect something in return? Why or why not?
• Is there a cost to loving God?  If so, what is it?

Closing Prayer

Leader:  You call me up the mountain

ALL:  You walk with me each step of the way

Leader:  You call me up the mountain

ALL:  You remind me of Your promises

Leader:  You call me up the mountain

ALL:  You call me reconcile my sins

Leader:  You call me up the mountain

ALL:  You give generously of Your love

Leader:  You call me up the mountain

ALL:  And I know I am Your Beloved!

Challenge for the Week:  Many Christians ask the question, ‘have you been saved’?  This week contemplate what it means to be ‘saved’ and how it applies to you.  How does Jesus’ life and death factor into your being ‘saved’?  What does sin have to do with it?  Are there scripture verses that support your belief?  Once you’ve spent time thinking about your answer, start a conversation with someone you know by asking them what being ‘saved’ means to them and be open to their perspective.

OR

In accounting, there are two columns, income and expenditure.  Income is a record of what is given to you and deposited into your account.  It is income that fills you and allows you to be able to pay out.  Even when you don’t have income, there are still expenses that incur, so sometimes you have to borrow in order to fulfill your obligations.  It is good practice to regularly reconcile your accounts, to see where you stand.  In the scripture this weekend, Saint Paul is telling the Romans that their lives were reconciled.  When you think about this truth in reference to the way accounts are reconciled, what does that mean to you? 

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