Group Study 2: The Revealing God

Welcome

Remembering Why We Have Gathered
We pause on our journey of discernment to open ourselves up to God.
We bolster our faith in this promise of God:

“I will instruct you and teach you the way you should go;
I will counsel you with my eye upon you.”
(Psalm 32:8)

Read this promise together and then enjoy some silent brooding upon its truth.

Open Prayer
Some members might like to lead the group in some short, spontaneous prayers.

Group Prayer

Creative God,
down through the centuries you have communicated in many different ways:
Through a burning bush, through life-giving water, through dreams, woollen fleeces, broken bread, the reading of a book, the crowing of a cock and the faces of the poor.
Save us from creating formulae that prescribe the way that you will speak.
Let us be open to the unique way that you will reveal yourself to us.
Through Jesus Christ, our teacher and guide, we pray.
Amen.

Scriptural Sustenance
Decide how you will read the following Scripture and conclude the reading with silent reflection.

Reading: Psalm 99
The Lord is King; let the peoples tremble! He sits enthroned upon the cherubim; let the earth quake! 2 The Lord is great in Zion; he is exalted over all the peoples. 3 Let them praise your great and awesome name. Holy is he! 4 Mighty King, lover of justice, you have established equity; you have executed justice and righteousness in Jacob. 5 Extol the Lord our God; worship at his footstool. Holy is he!
6 Moses and Aaron were among his priests, Samuel also was among those who called on his name. They cried to the Lord, and he answered them. 7 He spoke to them in the pillar of cloud; they kept his decrees, and the statutes that he gave them.
8 O Lord our God, you answered them; you were a forgiving God to them, but an avenger of their wrongdoings. 9 Extol the Lord our God, and worship at his holy mountain; for the Lord our God is holy.

Silent reflection





Divine Audience
What features about the divine king, described in Psalm 99, are pertinent when we are seeking God for discernment?





What does this Psalm suggest about the attitude of our mind and the posture of our body if we are to listen out for the word of God?





Sound Barriers
In this last week the daily readings and reflections have focused on the art of listening to God. We have seen some of the sound barriers which have included self-righteousness (Paul), delusions that we think we are fine (church at Sardis), the common tendency to be quick to speak and slow to listen, a lack of familiarity with God’s voice (young Samuel) and noise saturation.

What is the greatest barrier to you hearing the voice of God?





How might you develop greater sensitivity to the voice of God?





Words To and From God
The daily readings and reflections recently included the episode in which God asked Solomon to request anything that he desired.

What discernment question do you have for God?





What discernment question do you think God has for you?





Travel Highlights
Share a question or insight with the group that has arisen out of your journey in discernment this week.





Prayer for One Another
This is an opportunity for spontaneous prayers for each other.

Pray together this prayer from the conclusion of Psalm 99:

“O Lord our God, you answered them;
You were a forgiving God to them,
but an avenger of their wrongdoings.

Extol the Lord our God,
And worship at his holy mountain;
For the Lord our God is holy.”
Amen.

Commissioning & Blessing
Let us go forward with confidence in God who is the great King.
Let us also go forward with joy, knowing that God cares for each person,
as we make our unique journey.
Amen.



Copyright © 2007 Geoff Pound Making Life Decisions