Description
You don’t have to look far in the news to see people in distress and hardship. When this resource was originally written, large parts of Queensland and NSW had been flooded. Many, many people had been displaced, losing their homes, their businesses and, for some people, their lives. There was conflict overseas, with war continuing and people fleeing for their lives in many places. Some of this conflict was new, some of it was old – and so much conflict and distress remain present today (as it happens, as this resource was being updated a cyclone was about to hit southern Queensland/northern New South Wales and peace still seemed far way for Ukraine). It can be so difficult to work out how to minister to people (who are living in relative comfort and safety) when we are – rightly so – grieved by the suffering and injustice we see. The Deliverance from Distress resource uses the text of the Psalm107:1-9 as the basis for lament.
In Luke 12:13-21 Jesus is met by a man who wants him to judge a dispute over a family inheritance. Jesus tells the crowd a parable about avoiding greed and the desire to acquire many possessions. When reflecting on the parable of the rich barn builder, we often focus on how we might store up financial or other treasures, rather than sharing them with those in need. The Sharing with Others resource activity shifts the focus to how we spend our time, another commodity in which we can be rich and poor, or perhaps store up for ourselves. The Rich Fool resource links to a plethora of further ideas based on Luke 12:13-21 from Bible Explore.
The final resource, Claudia the Caterpillar (a Lost Sheep story), draws on Colossians 3:1-4 – picking up themes of new life in Christ, living life to the full, abundant life, eternal life, hope, cross, resurrection, and Easter.
