With Wings Like Eagles

DOWNLOAD 'Becoming the People of God' Small Group Resources (PDF)

Fellowship – Snacks or a Meal (10 minutes with snacks; longer, obviously, if there is a meal).

Gathering Time (5-10 minutes). Have participants answer: “Can you remember when the Lord renewed your strength?”

Group Dialogue (Approximately 30 minutes). Read Isaiah 40:21-31 and Mark 1:29-39.

• The Preaching Notes say, “The prophet [Isaiah] is asking us to pay attention to what already is. We are asked to know that God is among us, around us, within us already. Waiting in the Lord, in this case, means trusting, relying on, and being confident in the Lord.” Do you see God at work around you and/or within you?
• After Jesus healed Peter’s mother-in-law, she began “to wait on” Jesus and his disciples. She did not take time to rest. What does it say about the traditional role of women in society and within the communities of faith?
• Why did Jesus not want the demons to say who he was? (Mark 1:34b).
• According to Mark 1: 35-39, how were Jesus’ priorities set?
• What is the difference between “waiting upon” the Lord (Isaiah 40:31) and “waiting on” the Lord (Mark 1:31)? What do these two concepts mean to our walk with our Lord? [We hope in the Lord and we serve our Lord.] How might you serve our Lord this week?

Prayer (10 minutes). Share prayer requests and respond appropriately.

Sending Forth (2 minutes). End with the following prayer, a similar prayer, or the Lord’s Prayer:

Dear God, life can be hectic and tiring. We wear many different hats and have many responsibilities. Whenever we are exhausted and about to give up, please help us to have hope in you. Please give us the wisdom and determination to go to a quiet place to be in your presence and renew our strength to continue fulfilling your call upon our lives. Amen.

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Rev. Dr. Alma Tinoco Ruiz is an Assistant Professor of the Practice of Homiletics and Evangelism and Director of the Hispanic House of Studies at Duke University Divinity School. She is a practical theologian whose work centers on the intersection of homiletics, pastoral care, and evangelism.