Hurry: The Easy Yoke.
Week #2
Opening Reflections.
Where have you seen God at work in your life this week?
What did you notice this week as you paid attention to your own symptoms of hurry and ‘hurry sickness’?
“Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.”
Matthew 11:28-30
A response to Jill’s message.
1. Was there anything which particularly resonated with you? (Any moments of ‘Aha!’)
2. Was there anything you felt resistance to? (Any moments of ‘Grr’, or ‘Oh, no!’)
3. Was there anything else you particularly noticed?
Jill told the story of the Canadian farmers who, in winter blizzards, use a rope to make their way from the back door to the barn. She also spoke about the out-of-control rosebush, ‘Audrey’, who was in desperate need of pruning and shaping and a supportive structure to hold ‘her’ up.
Do either of these metaphors speak to you? Do you need a rope to get through the blizzard? Or do you need a trim and a trellis? Do you have a conscious ‘rule of life’? (Remember, that doesn’t just mean a set of ‘rules for living).
Ruth Hayley Barton defines a Rule of Life (‘Regula’) like this:
“A rule of life is a way of ordering our life around the values, practices and relationships that keep us open and available to God for the work of spiritual transformation that only God can bring about.”
Jill called it, “Structure, support and space - helping us to make room for love.”
‘Come, follow me,’ Jesus said, ‘and I will send you out to fish for people.’ (Matthew 4:19). Starting with this verse, John Mark Comer defines discipleship as: “Be with Jesus. Become like Jesus. Do what Jesus would do if he were you.”
Lectio Divina.
Ask someone to read Matthew 11:28-30.
1. LECTIO (read)
Read these verses again on your own
2. MEDITATIO (meditate)
Ponder the text, imagine you are Martha and Jesus is speaking to you, allow the Holy Spirit to speak to you as you read
3. ORATIO (pray)
Turn you reading to prayer
4. CONTEMPLATIO (contemplate)
Silent prayer as you experience the love of God
Discussion.
Jill said on Sunday, ‘Many of us want the life of Jesus, but are not willing to adopt the lifestyle of Jesus.’ What do you think that means? How did Jesus live that is so different to life in the UK in 2020?
For many Christians, particularly if we are actively involved in church, life can sometimes feel like an exhausting treadmill of ‘going for Jesus’. Some keep going for years, others burn out, drop out, and get away. What are we missing? What does it mean to hear Jesus say, “Come to me.”?
Closing Reflections.
What you will take away from this study and discussion?
Pray together for each other, in response to your answers.
