email: whitpresby@mindspring.com
Daily Bread:
Strength for the Journey
Series 2 – Introduction/Review of the Old Testament "Amazing Grace"
Jan. 30, 2002
Opening
Prayer
Gracious god, help us to remember that we do not live by bread alone, but by
every word that comes from you. Make
us hungry to eat the bread of your word daily that we may pass from blindness to
sight, having been sought out and found by your grace. In the name of Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior, Amen.
1.
Make sure everyone knows everyone else’s name.
Sing Verse four only of “Amazing Grace.”
The
Lord has promised good to me
His
word my hope secures
He
will my shield and portion be
As
long as life endures
2.
Review, what experiences did you have re-reading your favorite story.
Any questions or comments on Lectio.
3. What does “shield” and “portion” mean to you in this hymn, line 3.
Today we are working with Poetry and what is known as Wisdom literature. Books that make up this block of literature are:
4. Job – Probes the depth of faith in the midst of suffering. It consists of a series of dialogues between Job and 4 other men about Job’s suffering and his link to his sinfulness.
Sample text Job 38:4ff
5. Psalms. We will return to these.
6. Proverbs – A series of teachings ostensibly to enable a youth to cope with life. Themes here are the classic moral virtues like honesty, diligence, obedience, justice, etc.
Illustrative texts: Proverbs 8 (God as female wisdom) & Proverbs 31 on a “good woman.”
7. Ecclesiastes – A warning against human pride and an exhortation preserving divine mystery. Or, more simply, no matter how much we would like to have control and no matter how hard we work to do everything just right, there is always the sense of mystery and we cannot predict how things will turn out.
Favorite text: Eccles 3
8. Song of Solomon – The Bible’s ‘erotic poem’ talking about a romantic relationship between a man and woman, allegorized into God’s love for Israel or Christ’s love for the church.
Illustrative text: Song 2:1-7, rose of Sharon, lily of the valley.
9. Psalms – Classic poetry of worship and personal devotion or spirituality. Covering the range of human emotions from great joy to deep suffering.
Basic types of psalms: Hymns & festival songs, Thanksgivings, History, Laments & Trust & meditations
Illustrative texts: Psalm 23 & 121, psalms of trust
Ps 137 - A psalm of lament and cry for vengeance. Ps 51, penitential.
Ps 100 – Hymn
Ps 30 – Thanksgiving
Ps 78 – Salvation History
With each type, ask: What is the value or benefit of this kind of prayer.
Integrative activity: Using Ps 137, pick out the different emotions that are displayed in that Psalm. What are they. What are your experiences of this emotion, What color do you associate with this emotion? On your handout sheet, draw this color in a line somewhere.
10. Pray & Sing V. 4 of “Amazing Grace.” (see above)
11. Homework: Lectio, as per their handout.
