Daily Scripture: Genesis 1:27 So God created humankind in his own image;
in the image of God he created him:
male and female he created them.
28 God blessed them: God said to them, “Be fruitful, multiply, fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea, the birds in the air and every living creature that crawls on the earth.”
Prayer Tip:This week we start into a new sermons series where we get to ask aloud the question most of us hold in our hearts: Why? As Christians, it is just so hard to grapple with the fact that pain and suffering come our way. These questions are so important to ask because without the freedom to wonder, we often become disappointed with God, discouraged by the response of the church and disillusioned by faith.
When I was thirteen years old, I was diagnosed with a chronic illness. At the time, nothing was more terrifying to me than needles, doctors and hospitals. Here I was as an 8th grader, taking 13 pills a day, getting IV treatments, struggling to walk and isolated from all my friends and I had it in my head that I was supposed to be strong as I faced not only my sickness but my biggest fears. I had just started hanging around church more often and only dabbled in prayer and the study of scripture. The one thing that somehow stuck out to me was that good Christians (especially “nice” little girls) “grin and bear” it. To doubt, to be discouraged to be angry—were all signs of weak faith. My belief was reinforced by the well-meaning “1/2 truths” that Christians around me shared with me. Remember these: “God Won’t Give You More Than You Can Handle”, “God Helps Those Who Help Themselves,” “Everything Happens for a Reason?”[(In case you missed the sermon series[http://www.cor.org/worship/sermon-archives/show/series/Half-Truths/]Anyway, these sayings drowned out my questions, my genuine quest to make sense of things and while I kept a happy face, anger and bitterness were growing inside of my heart.
As we approach this sermon series, some of you might find yourselves in this place. Some of us asked Why? questions as a child or teenager in Sunday School before being quickly “shushed” and have given up on the church being a place that can answer these questions. For others of you, you have been busy keeping the happy face, to look like a “good Christian” and have never had the courage to ask these questions. Others of us still, are stuck so deep in our pain, that we have grown apathetic towards wrestling with faith. Finally, many of us have answered the Why? questions, but feel like the pain we continue to see around us makes the answers seem insufficient. So my question is: Where do you find yourself?
This week, I challenge you to write down 5 “Why” questions that you have been holding in your heart.
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2.___________________________________________
3.___________________________________________
4.___________________________________________
5.___________________________________________
As we begin wrestling with these questions as a faith community, share these questions with God through prayer. Be honest. Invite God to reveal God self to you in a way that brings clarity and peace to the areas of life that are most perplexing.
During this sermon series, Congregational Care will be offering special speakers and classes to further explore "Why?"Here's the link to check them out.[Rev. Katherine Ebling-Frazier, Pastor]
13720 Roe Avenue
Leawood, Kansas 66224 United States
913.897.0120
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