We continue our small group journey through May. If you were not able to join a group, see below for what our groups are studying together this week.
Getting Started
What are some prayers you may have memorized growing up? Did your family say a particular one at bedtime or before a meal? How about others?
Reflection
Read Matthew 6:9-13
Think through the following phrases of the Lord’s Prayer and consider what each might mean for our time:
“Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name.”
In times of crisis, sometimes people feel like the world is spinning out of control without God. How have you seen God active in the world in the last 2 months? And how often do you acknowledge God’s presence over this crisis?
“Your kingdom come. Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.”
What are some ways we have tried to force our will into our current situation? How might it look differently going forward to seek more of God’s kingdom?
“Give us this day our daily bread.”
Panic grocery store buying in the early days of this crisis showed us that we don’t always do well with a focus on the “daily bread” but rather want to make sure we are taken care of for weeks on end. How do you balance the practical desire to want to protect ourselves for the long haul with Jesus’s invitation to stay more rooted in the moment?
“Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.”
The political rhetoric has encouraged us to line out sides and figure out who the enemies are. How does this passage help you to cross the divide to those you might disagree with?
“Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil.”
The long-term effects of the virus will be a grief process for all of us. We will be tempted to use our anger/frustration in unproductive ways. How might praying this line daily help channel our emotions in healthy ways?
Prayer
Pray the Lord’s prayer together to close your meeting.