GodSpeak: “Great Is His Faithfulness”

GodSpeak for the Week of July 1 · “Great Is His Faithfulness”

 

July 1 we have another special guest preacher during Sunday worship – Rev. Dr. Bob Holst.

Day 1…Read Lamentations 3:22-23

  • Consider this – the word “compassions” in Hebrew literally means a person’s “bowels”/”guts”. In Hebrew, the gut is the place where emotion resides.
  • Answer this – what, therefore, is implied about God when the writer notes: “…His compassions never fail. They are new every morning;”
    • What does this tell us about the nature of God and how He treats us?

Day 2…Read Lamentations 3:22-33

  • Consider this – in v. 29, the image of burying one’s face in “dust” is used (a vivid image of repentance in the face of grave sin).
  • Consider this – this passage uses vivid imagery of a person being driven to their knees – literally face-down in the dust – in the face of their sin. Yet, God WILL show grace and mercy!
  • Answer this – how does this Law/Gospel illustration of sin driving one to their knees; of God not glossing over sin…and, STILL forgiving it…compare/contrast to how our world tends to deal with the same?

Day 3…Read 2 Corinthians 8:1-9 (especially, v. 3)

  • Consider this – Paul is careful to note that the members of the Macedonian churches gave beyond their ability “Entirely on their own…”
  • Answer this – why is it important that Paul note this fact?
    • Had Paul left this detail out – or, had the Macedonian churches NOT given entirely on their own, what would that have meant in terms of how the Church was being run?

Day 4…Read Mark 5:21-24

  • Consider this – this part of the passage is both simple and straightforward. Yet, note – a) Jairus is a Jewish synagogue leader; and, b) his daughter is dying.
  • Answer this – how does Jesus respond to Jairus’ straightforward request?
    • What does this say about how we are to respond to simple, straightforward requests born out of faith?
    • What does this say about Jairus – a man who is the leader of a local synagogue?

Day 5…Read Mark 5:24-34

  • Consider this – Jesus is hemmed in by the crowd; He can barely move! And, that implies, He can barely focus on any one person in the crowd due to all of the faces and activity buzzing around Him!
  • Answer this – how does the woman respond, here?
    • What does that say about her faith in Christ, that she doesn’t even need to talk to Him/have Him acknowledge her; she just needs to touch the bottom fringe of His robe?
    • What does that say about Jesus, that He stops His walking…seeks the woman out…stops the action around Him…and, deals with the woman eye-to-eye?
    • What does that say about how Christ deals with you?

Day 6…Read Mark 5:35-43

  • Consider this – Jairus is told by folks that his daughter has died. “Why bother the teacher anymore,” they conclude.  To which, Jesus responds: “Don’t be afraid; just believe.”
  • Consider this – they get to Jairus’ house and the Lord says: “The child is not dead but asleep.”
  • Answer this – how do the people react to Christ’s declaration?
  • Consider this – but the child is NOT DEAD; she is RAISED!
  • Answer this – what does this repeated verbal exchange between the people and Jesus say about our faith and His faithFULNESS?
  • Answer this – why would Mark go to the effort to tell us the detail that the girl was 12 years old? Why/how is that important to our faith and understanding of this story?

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