Description
Today’s Call to Worship is based on Psalm 138. It calls us to worship from the highs and lows, the ups and downs, from far away and from right in the middle. In this spirit of action, the resource invites into a more kinaesthetic experience. Participants are invited to watch, or to follow and join in with – whatever will assist them to become fully present to meet with God over the time of gathered worship.
The first Creative Bible Engagement draws from 1 Samuel 8:4-11, 16-20. It comes from the time way way back in the Old Testament when the people of God were a bunch of tribes in the hills of Israel. A bit like a set of clans that trace their ancestry back to one family. Sometimes they behaved like brothers, and looked out for one another, defended one another, worked together. And sometimes they behaved like brothers, and picked fights with each other, complained about each other, ganged up on each other. Brothers, right! Up until this time the tribes all have their own family chief or leader. But in today’s reading they mount a protest, they have a rally, they stage an intervention and ask Samuel the prophet to give them a king.
In the second Creative Bible Engagement Today we hear two stories about kings and kingdoms, one from 1 Samuel 8 and one from Mark 3. In the first, the tribes of Israel have seen that all around them are nations with kings – big strong powerful rich kings. And the tribes want that too. Despite the warnings from the prophet Samuel, they continue to demand a king. By the time of the second story, Israel haven’t had their own king for hundreds of years – they have been taken over and ruled by other nations and their powerful kings. Into this context, Jesus speaks of the kingdom of God – he says that no matter who the king in charge of the country is, when we live God’s good ways things are put right – fair for everyone, those who need are cared for, and those with extra lovingly share with others.
Written and compiled by Beth Waldron Anstice
