Lent 8c Wednesday

Isaiah 50:4-9a •

The "tongue of a teacher that I may know how to sustain the weary with a word. . . " a single word... Can you think of single words to help someone when they're weary or tired? Is that something children can do?

Children wake up every morning just like grown-ups "Morning by morning he wakens-- wakens my ear to listen as those who are taught." I love the imagery here. Do we wake up every morning with our ears open eager to learn something from God? Children can do that.

What does it mean to be rebellious or to turn back when someone is trying to teach you something? For a child? Do you see it more easily through the eyes of the teacher or through the eyes of the learner?

After talking about teaching and learning we have verses about abuse. Does it jar you? Why is it here? We think of Jesus but is His crucifixion the only context for this?

Verses 7-9 are full of hope. I've always loved the imagery of setting "my face like flint." A good friend of my mother in-law's gave us this gift when we were married. She made it.

Psalm 70 • A prayer for help. You can take the NIRV and pull out verses for prayers. Is the Psalmist being mean to his enemies to pray like this?

Hebrews 12:1-3 • I love the imagery here, too, especially for children. You have the cloud of witnesses. Who are they? You have something you want to get rid of that clings to you. Can you and your kids think of things? (Lint. Stepping in dog poop. Cigarette smoke. Cooking smells. . . ) You have running a race and running it to win. Is it a short race or a long race? What is perserverance? What's a pioneer? What's a perfecter? For the joy that was set before Him he endured something hard, painful, shameful...for joy! Does it make you happy if you win? If you win something that was easy? If you win something that was hard? "Consider him..." Jesus is an example to us young and old so we don't grow weary and lose heart.

John 13:21-32

We have a story. Jesus was troubled. One of His friends was going to turn on him. He knew that. The rest of his friends didn't. Reenact the story. Think about all the times Jesus & his disciples shared. We read the story knowing how it will end. Remember the characters in the story (except Jesus) only know what had happened so far, not what was going to happen.

What happens next is a sad sad story but Jesus said, ". . . the Son of Man has been glorified, and God has been glorified in him . . ." We read this story knowing the ending but perhaps not fully understanding the depth of betrayal and broken trust that happened along the way. . . for pre-teens & teens or any child who ever felt betrayed...Jesus has experienced that, too.