How's your Foundation?

We had a large group of inmates come down for the session. I asked 4 of the men to offer prayer, asking God to join the group. Then we went around the group, each person giving their first name and saying how they were doing. We sang 4 or 5 songs.

We read Psalm 104. We discussed what the fellows thought the Psalm was about. I suggested it is about God creating and managing the earth. I asked the group to name the largest things they had ever managed or mismanaged. Many replied "My life", or "My family". I pointed out that God is able to manage the whole of creation. That brings some comfort to our worries, doesn't it?

We read the story of Samuel anointing David in 1 Samuel Chapter 16. We discussed what the story says. I suggested the story tells us that God does not necessarily judge in the same way that we do. In this case, Jesse hadn't even called David in from the fields to join the event. Let us draw comfort from the fact that even if our family rejects us, or judges us as weak or undesirable, that God can be looking for something different.

Living in the presence of Christ

We had a large group of inmates attend the Yokefellow session this week. We took time to go around the circle and offer prayer, then gave first names and comments.

We sang 4 songs. Then read Psalm 37. We discussed how quickly weeds grow in the summer. We looked at how the Psalm says "Fret not" 3 times. We talked about anxiety and shared examples of what we worry about.

The lesson was about living in the presence of Christ. We read John 15: 1-8. We talked quite a bit about the fruits of our lives.

We read the story of Jesus and Thomas in John 20. I asked the group what each person would do if Jesus appeared in the room with us right now. How would they react? How would their day have been different?