Weekly Word: Worship Service

Fourth Week in Lent
Scripture: Luke 15:1-3, 11b-32
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Faith in Action Idea: Caring Conversation
Talk about what you heard in the Bible text/story. Some questions to guide you:

1. What does it mean to be lost? What does it feel like to lose a toy, leave your phone at home, or misplace your homework?
2. How amazing does it feel to find a lost item?
3. What about if you are lost? There are times in our lives when we separate ourselves from God, and in those moments, we are lost. God rejoices when we decide to return to God’s loving embrace. How does it feel for you to be “found” after times of separation from God?
4. “It’s not fair.” How often do we say those words? What causes us to see something as unfair? When bad behavior is overlooked or forgiven? When someone gets more than they deserve? But who are we to decide what anyone deserves?
5. Jesus tells this story when he is asked why he eats with people who have done bad things. Jesus suggests that rather than calculate what is fair, and who deserves what, better to be prodigal in our love for one another.

Faith in Action Idea: Prayer
Use the :44 mark to find time to spend with God

• Do you ever have those mornings when you’ve barely woken up, and you already know you have a tough day coming? 
• Set a timer for the :44 mark of every hour. When the timer goes off, pause whatever you’re doing to thank God for three blessings from the hour and hum a praise song. It only takes a minute, but it works like a reset button for my heart, and it keeps me focused on the good things in the day instead of the hard things that aren’t going my way.
• Hint: I choose the :44 mark because of Philippians 4:4 – “Rejoice in the Lord always!” This is “rejoice always” and “give thanks for all things” in action!

“Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances…”
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

Faith in Action Idea: Walk 
Lent is about connecting to God in intentional and meaningful ways. Go for a walk in a nearby park/nature trail/neighborhood and see what God is doing all around you.

• As you walk this week, when have you felt God close to you?

Worship Service