Lent Week 3 – Friendship
This third week of Lent is one where we think about our relationship with God. The old testament reading for this week is about God calling the great elder Abram to leave his home country, and promises that he will be blessed and will be a blessing to others and Abram obeys. (Genesis 12:1-4a)
Our ‘faith’ passage to spend time with is Romans 4:1-5.
Kids may like to watch the story of Abram here and think about the ways Abram showed he was a good friend to God. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UZStC2vHhFY
Romans 4:1-5 The Message (MSG)
Trusting God
4 1-3 So how do we fit what we know of Abraham, our first father in the faith, into this new way of looking at things? If Abraham, by what he did for God, got God to approve him, he could certainly have taken credit for it. But the story we’re given is a God-story, not an Abraham-story. What we read in Scripture is, “Abraham entered into what God was doing for him, and that was the turning point. He trusted God to set him right instead of trying to be right on his own.”
4-5 If you’re a hard worker and do a good job, you deserve your pay; we don’t call your wages a gift. But if you see that the job is too big for you, that it’s something only God can do, and you trust him to do it—you could never do it for yourself no matter how hard and long you worked—well, that trusting-him-to-do-it is what gets you set right with God, by God. Sheer gift.
Reflection:
Read through this passage a few times. Reflect on anything that shines out for you from Abram’s story.
Invite the Holy spirit to talk to you about the God story; the plan to bless the whole created order. Listen as a friend.
All-age Action:
God pointed Abram to the stars and the dust to talk to him about his blessing plans. Keep a lookout for the things God is showing you this week and talk with God about them.
Abram made piles of stones when he wanted to show thanks to God. What things can you make/do this week that expresses your love and trust to God?
