Discipleship 5K

Sunday, August 14th Readings

20th Sunday of Ordinary Time

Opening Prayer

Father

It is my nature to love you,

        but there are so many distractions.

Help me fight off the distractions,

        and be persistent in my commitment. 

Let me not be limited by love of things which don’t last,

        but seek Your love which is limitless.

Keep me open to Your everlasting love,

        so I can love without limits too!

AMEN

Journal/Reflection Questions

Jeremiah 38:4-6, 8-10

  • When have you interceded for another, like the Court Official in this scripture? Who was it? What were the circumstances?
  • Have you stood up against the crowd? How did the crowd react to your opposition? Have you ever not spoken out and kept your opposition within?  What did that feel like? What would happen if you did stand up? Would you be treated like Jeremiah? Would God be there with you too?
  • Jeremiah proves to be someone you can rely on. Who else in this reading could you rely on? Who in your life can you rely on? What qualities do these people have that make them good friends?

Hebrews 12:1-4

  • Describe “cloud of witnesses.” Is it the same for everyone? What is the specific purpose of a “cloud of witnesses?”
  • What does this scripture say about suffering, specifically about Jesus’ suffering on the cross?
  • Do you believe God wants you to suffer? Why or why not? Is this belief because of faith or experience?

Luke 12:49-53

  • How does God set the world on fire? What is consumed? What needs to be consumed? What is role in keeping the fire alive?
  • Have you ever been filled with “fire” or passion for something? Jesus came to rekindle the “fire” of faith and left the Holy Spirit to light up the world.  How do your actions show that you have been baptized?  Do you live as if you WERE baptized or ARE baptized?

General Questions for Journaling

  • Have you ever felt like you were sinking in the mud? What did it feel like? How were you able to get “un-stuck”?
  • Are there people who offend you? Who? Why? How does it affect how you act around them or how you treat them?
  • Are there laws which you don’t agree with but follow?
  • Have you ever worked to change a law which you found to be unjust?  Share. What did you do? What did you learn from the experience?
  • How does your faith/hope/love in Jesus affect how you deal with loss/struggles/suffering?
  • What would you say to someone who is struggling who doesn’t have a relationship with Jesus? How would you show them support or give comfort?
  • What do you focus your eyes on?  Jesus or something else?  What can you do to keep your focus on Jesus?
  • What divides you from others?
  • What is the definition of division? What is the opposite?
  • Where do you see divisions in the world, your community, your church, your family, your own heart? Is there a common thread in these divisions?
  • What are some of these things that divide the church today? Is there anything you can do to help the division dissipate? What ideas, concepts or theologies are you resistant to that cause division in the church, community, or family?

Closing Prayer

Leader:  May I never lose sight of the faith which fills me…

ALL:  Pray for me, Father Abraham!

Leader:  May I always find hope in the promise of heaven…

ALL:  Pray for me, Prophets of the Old Testament!

Leader:  May I always be waiting and listening for God…

ALL:  Pray for me, Mother Mary!

Leader:  May I never forget the sacrifice made on the cross…

ALL:  Pray for me, Jesus our Savior!

Leader:  May I always keep the Holy Spirit close and follow…

ALL:  Pray for me, Prophets of the New Testament!

Leader:  May I never turn away from the love which created me…

ALL:  Pray for me, Saints of today and yesterday!

Challenge for the Week:  Sometimes one little thing can cause a tornado of stress and worry in life. It could be something as simple as a paper cut that can flip your day upside-down.  If you look to the Prophets and Saints, you learn quickly that they know how it feels because they were human too.  They were also distracted by things (maybe even a paper cut) but persevered in learning to keep Christ centered in their lives.  Take time this week to seek out a Prophet or Saint (dead or alive) and consider how you might be able to learn a tip from them to fend off distractions in your life.

Examples: (1) Moses was “crippled” by his speech impediment but was able to put it aside to serve God and save the Israelites from slavery (2) Oscar Romero loved God and serving the Church so much he lived out his call as a priest despite the opposition…even to death.

GET CONNECTED DAILY!  Find more reflections and prayers at Making Scripture Relevant on Facebook and Instagram.  Join the Weekly Scripture Journal email list by contacting heather@makingscripturerelevant.com

Discipleship 5K: A Physical and Spiritual Journey to the Cross by Heather Neds, author of the Weekly Scripture Journal is more than a book, it is a guide to becoming a stronger disciple.  Grab and copy and start the journey!

Architect and Maker

I played a game as a kid that I think was called M.A.S.H but can’t really remember is that was an acronym for something and if it was, what it meant.  However, I do remember that one person would ask another person a series of questions where they could give 3 or 4 answers per category.  For example, you would ask them to name people they would like to marry, what kind of house they’d like to live in, how many kids they will have, etc.

Depending on who you played with, sometimes there were only a few categories, but others liked to get very detailed in their questions.  Such as asking you what type of car you’d like to drive and then asking what color you wanted your car to be.  Regardless, once all of the information was collected, you’d begin a process of eliminating the choices until there was only one item left in each category.  In the end, you’d have a full description of a person’s life. 

Of course, this is completely fictional.  No one is able to confidently know what their lives will look like, where they will live, who they will marry and what kind of car they will drive.  One could give an educated guess, but to know for certain what your life’s situation will be in five years, or even one year, it would only be a guess.

I mean, one year ago this week, my husband and I were in St. Louis celebrating my husband’s birthday by attending a couple of baseball games, and we got the call that my husband was acquiring a couple of projects in Austin.  We have had no idea that we were about to pick up and move after living in Kansas City for our entire 29-year marriage, and after I’d just began a new job in January.  It was a bit of a shock, but the decision to move was easy.

I imagine this is how Abraham and Sarah felt when God told them they were going to have descendants as countless as the stars; a little shocked but ready to do and accept whatever God had planned for them.  Abraham and Sarah probably had no idea it was possible for them to have a child at such an old age, but God made it happen.  For us, it was a desire to move to Colorado where we could spend more time outdoors hiking and biking.  We had no idea we could have the lifestyle we desired in Texas!

I realized that in real life, unlike in the game I played as a child, I cannot choose the options in each of the categories because they have already been chosen for me by God.  God knows where I will be in five years, and I just need to trust.  Yes, I could fight the changes and try to blaze my own trail, but I believe that God will get His way in the end.

God’s will for me will happen whether I let go and let God or if I try to be the captain of my own adventure.  I can make decisions (big and small) without God’s help, or I can turn to God for guidance.  This is really my only choice, whether or not I will open myself up to listen for God to lead me where I am to go today.  So, I choose to let go and let God lead my decisions because in the end, His is the one who created me for a purpose, and He knows what that purpose is.  I am not going to stand in the way of God’s plan, whatever it is, I trust it will be better than anything I could have imagined on my own.

___________________________________________________________________________________

GET CONNECTED DAILY!  Find more reflections and prayers at Making Scripture Relevant on Facebook and Instagram.  Join the Weekly Scripture Journal email list by contacting heather@makingscripturerelevant.com

Discipleship 5K: A Physical and Spiritual Journey to the Cross by Heather Neds.  It’s more than a book, rather a guide to becoming a stronger disciple through physical and spiritual exercises.  Get your copy and begin the journey!

Mind Not at Rest

A Reflection on the scripture Ecclesiastes 1:2, 2:21-23

There are times in everyone’s lives when they have a hard time settling down their thoughts and being at rest.  It can be caused by stress, worry, excitement or a myriad of other reasons.  I can recall it happening to me several times, but especially when I was a kid, the night before the first day of school, my mind would be filled with so many thoughts that it was hard to rest.  When I was a kid there weren’t summer camps, sports, and social media to keep kids connected over the summer, like they do today. 

I would be worried about what I would wear, if I needed all of the school supplies the first day, if I’d remember my locker combination, and honestly if any of my friends from the previous year would remember me (mostly because I moved around a lot and didn’t have those long-time connections like being classmates in pre-school).

I thought the racing mind was just something that happened occasionally to people, until I met my husband.  His mind is churning a thousand miles a minute, thinking, planning, worrying and so much more.  Honestly, I get tired sometimes watching him think 😉 but what my husband deals with is just an overactive brain.

There are people in the world whose minds are never at rest because they are filled with traumatic events, stress, grief, and what is finally becoming something people feel comfortable talking about, mental illness.  Five or ten years ago people kept it to themselves if they were taking medication or needed to be hospitalized because they needed assistance regulating thoughts, emotions and how to process information.

I feel one of the repercussions of COVID and everyone staying at home, caused a lot of people to crawl up into themselves like a turtle and it stirred up a lot of angst.  The first reading this week is from Ecclesiastes, chapter 1:2 and 2:21-23, to me, it opened the door for me to say, if you, in the two years since the world shut down because of COVID feel like a lesser version of yourself, you MUST find some help to navigate back into the world.  If you suffer from anxiety, depression, low self-esteem, PTSD, or any other form of mental illness, please talk to someone who will listen and guide you to find yourself again.

I recently had a day when I felt like at every turn, someone was slamming a door in my face, and nothing was turning out right.  It was just one day for me, but I know there are people who don’t have the support system that I have (and for me that includes God).  For some people, this is an everyday emotion which causes them to be paralyzed and unable to enjoy things they usually would enjoy.  It causes them to push family and friends away, so they won’t see this different version of the person they used to be.

I write this message, maybe not for you, but it could be for someone you know and love.  I believe the scripture is God saying that it is important to be reaching out and paying attention.  It is a reminder that as a disciple, you are called to love Him AND your neighbor.  After the time of stay at home, I think people want to be seen, after not being seen for so long. 

This means there might be someone you know who could use a little encouragement or to be reminded that they are important to you.  Your positive words can help turn a bad day or a day that is headed in that direction into a brighter day.  I’m not saying you can cure mental illness with some positive words, but I am saying that every human likes to be seen and be told that they are loved and that they matter.

Again, I think there is an important message in the scripture this week and it is to take care of yourself AND others.  Not only physically, but emotionally and spiritually too.  Reach out to someone you have spoken to for a while to check in to make sure they are okay and that you care about their wellbeing.  This is what God calls His children to do!

___________________________________________________________________________________

GET CONNECTED DAILY!  Find more reflections and prayers at Making Scripture Relevant on Facebook and Instagram.  Join the Weekly Scripture Journal email list by contacting heather@makingscripturerelevant.com

Discipleship 5K: A Physical and Spiritual Journey to the Cross by Heather Neds.  It’s more than a book, rather a guide to becoming a stronger disciple through physical and spiritual exercises.  Get your copy and begin the journey!

Sweep Away

I love to watch KU basketball and have been a fan for several years.  Although I didn’t attend the University, I still love to follow the team and invest my time doing my best to catch every game.  My interest in the team is often talked about and supported by friends and family.

So, when a friend of mine gave me a hard time about being a KU fan I wasn’t surprised at first because I thought they were just playing around.  However, their comment was more accusatory in nature as to why I’d want to associate myself with people who obviously didn’t value the same things I do.  They couldn’t believe I’d root for a team whose fans would act in a negative way.

You see, they’d been at a KU night at a public venue and apparently the people at the event wearing KU hats and t-shirts were drinking a lot and had become belligerent.  I explained to my friend that not all fans of KU act that way.  He was making a sweeping judgement about all fans and tossing me into the mix.

So, when I hear the scripture story about Sodom and Gomorrah, where there were people who were pillaging and plunging, looting, and causing a great ruckus, I can’t help but think about my conversation with my friend.  It actually happens pretty regularly, where people hear about negative behavior and then group together everyone who identify with or might have membership within the community.

In fact, I heard it on the news today when the newscaster was talking about the Democrats in the House of Representatives.  The newscaster made a sweeping statement, clumping all of the Democrats together saying they all are supporting a specific argument.  People make these general statements often, forgetting that the only thing some of the Democrats in the House of Representatives have in common is that they identify as Democrats.

Potentially the same as in my situation, where the only thing I might have had in common with those people who were belligerent is that we like to cheer for the same basketball team.  However, I was being clumped in with a group of people and being judged by their behavior.  You can’t assume that just because someone identifies as being from some place or practicing a specific religion or roots for a sports team that they are good or bad.

Abraham is good to remind us of that fact.  Abraham told God that He could not destroy the cities because of the bad things that were happening; there would be innocent bystanders that would be destroyed as well.  This message is especially important to remember these days when there are some very hot button topics rolling around.  When you hear things like gun control or abortion slipping into conversation, often times you also hear some generalized statement, stereotyping and profiling people who may or may not fit into the mold.  It is just good practice for everyone to pause and think before making any sweeping judgements.

When reading the scripture, some might think that God is being harsh and can’t believe He’d even consider destroying His own people.  However, the interaction between God and Abraham is not about what God is saying, it is Abraham coming to understanding that there is good in all things, even when all you see is despair.  God wanted Abraham to learn that when you make a sweeping judgement about people, places or things, that you can cause more harm than good.

This lesson God is teaching Abraham is one everyone should learn.  Now, because you can’t change other people, you can only change yourself, take time today to ask God to reveal to you any places in your life where you are making sweeping judgments about individual or groups of people.  Then ask Him to help you remove the limited belief from you so you can be more open to seeing the good, rather than the bad.

___________________________________________________________________________________

GET CONNECTED DAILY!  Find more reflections and prayers at Making Scripture Relevant on Facebook and Instagram.  Join the Weekly Scripture Journal email list by contacting heather@makingscripturerelevant.com

Discipleship 5K: A Physical and Spiritual Journey to the Cross by Heather Neds.  It’s more than a book, rather a guide to becoming a stronger disciple through physical and spiritual exercises.  Get your copy and begin the journey!

Very Near to You

Questioning the meaning of life and especially your specific purpose is as common as breathing. It can be daunting to think about what you were called to do. And it can seem like there is a lot of pressure to get it right.

As a child, you might have answered the question, “What do you want to be when you grow up” with ease. That is because as a child the options seem endless, and you can choose to be a doctor or a princess without the understanding the cost of medical school or how few actual princesses there are in the world.

Then in high school, choosing the college and the degree you wanted to graduate with could have been super overwhelming. It is a lot to put on a young person to decide what kind of job or career they want to have for the rest of their life.  So, many base their decisions on the path of least resistance.  Sometimes it means choosing what you think your parents want or whatever sounds interesting at the time.  This is how so many students choose sports marketing and sports related degrees or psychology or sociology because they have an interest in sports or because they are interested in finding out who they are and their role in the world.

However, this is not the same as the questioning the meaning of life or your specific purpose. The meaning of life is spelled out very simply in the scripture as is your specific purpose. Listen to the voice of the one who created you, GOD.  In the first reading (Deuteronomy 30:10-14) and the Gospel (Luke 10:25-37), it is very clear that the meaning of life is to love God and to love others, and when you do this, you are fulfilling your purpose.

The crazy part of it all is when you ask the questions, the answer is always something you have within you or near you.  It’s a lot like the ruby slippers that Dorothy wore in the Wizard of OZ, how she always had the ability to go home, she just didn’t realize the power had been within reach all along. You too have the power within reach.  The realization just doesn’t come at the same time or in the same way for everyone.

It is in the scripture you learn that it is in the Holy Spirit which dwells in you where you can unveil your specific purpose.  It is the connection to who God created you to be that gives you the power to change the world.  And the way to learn this is by paying attention to the specific gifts God has given you to share, the gifts that give you the opportunity to be love to everyone you meet.

But it is not entirely up to you to determine your specific purpose.  It is the role of the community of believers who surround you, those who know you and can help you identify those special gifts that you have been given.  Now of course there are personality tests and career finder tests that you can take to help point you in a specific direction, but God planted the gifts in you as well as a desire for you to achieve it.

Listen.  Watch.  Wait.  And you will know.  Sit with this a while and listen for God to speak clearly into your heart, soul and mind the steps you need to take to fulfill His plan for you.  And if in doubt, ask those around you, those who know you such as your family, teammates/coworkers, mentors, and teachers.  Sometimes it is hard for you to see it since you are so close to it.  So, don’t be afraid to ask others to help you in your search to find your purpose in life and when you do, you will understand the meaning of life and your role in it.

GET CONNECTED DAILY!  Find more reflections and prayers at Making Scripture Relevant on Facebook and Instagram.  Join the Weekly Scripture Journal email list by contacting heather@makingscripturerelevant

Discipleship 5K: A Physical and Spiritual Journey to the Cross by Heather Neds. It’s more than a book, rather a guide to becoming a stronger disciple through physical and spiritual exercises. Get your copy and begin the journey!