Eighth Sunday after Pentecost- Week of July 18, 2021

Begin your devotion time by praying this prayer: Holy God, you send us out to share Christ’s love with the world. Help us focus our hearts and minds on your presence, so that we can rest and find you in our relationships with other people. Amen.

Reflect on the Way of Love together: This week’s practice on the Way of Love is GO. Sometimes we become busy when we go out and follow Jesus. It’s easy to forget about staying present with God and with other people. How might you take time to be present when your life becomes busy? How can you remember to stay in the moment with God and with other people?

Adult and Small Child

Read: Mark 6:30-34, 53-56

Reflect: Jesus liked to heal and feed people before he taught them about God’s big plan for making the world more loving. If you are sick, are you a good listener? Probably not. What about if you are hungry? I bet you find it easier to learn when you have a full tummy. Some people get angry or impatient when they are hungry or tired. That is why Jesus wanted his friends to rest and have a snack. There were so many people who wanted to be with Jesus that it was hard to be calm. So, his friends had some quiet time in one of their favorite places. They went into a lake on boat where it was quiet. They had a picnic and maybe a nap on the boat. All people need healing, food, and rest time with God. But it is not enough to feel better all by ourselves. God’s healing, feeding and refreshment is so big that we must get off the boat share it with other people. God’s love is for everyone.

Respond: How do you know when it is time to help other people or time to find a quiet place all by yourself? It might be quiet time if you are hungry, angry, lonely, or tired. It is harder to show God’s love when you feel these feelings. The word “halt� means to stop. The first letters of hungry, angry, lonely and tired spell H.A. L. T. Some people have a hard time slowing down. Some people have a hard time getting started. I wonder which kind of person you are? When quiet time is over, you are ready be show God’s love. Loving is your work. The world is waiting for you to rise and shine. You make the world more loving by knowing when to stop and when to go.

- Lea Colvill

Adult and Elementary

Read: Mark 6:30-34, 53-56

Reflect: Jesus and the apostles traveled to many new places teaching and talking about God. As they traveled, Jesus and the apostles cared for the sick and fed people who were hungry. They made friends with people who no one else wanted to talk to or spend time with and helped people learn how important it is to be kind and take care of ALL of God’s people, no matter where they come from or what they look like. Jesus also knew that sometimes this felt like hard work and it made the apostles tired. Jesus encouraged the apostles to travel by boat instead of walking so they could have time to relax. Jesus also made sure the apostles had time to eat and take care of their bodies. What are a few of the ways you help support your church or share God’s love with others? What are the ways you spend time with Jesus that help you recharge and feel relaxed and peaceful? How can you make sure you do some of both this week?

Respond: On the Way of Love, we may think of “go� as physically traveling, like the apostles did as they moved from place to place. If we remember that to “go� can also mean doing something we have not done before or being with new people, we can practice “go� anywhere. Try looking up the Lord’s Prayer or a favorite church song in another language and read or listen to it together. Find a recording of a worship service from wherever your chosen language is spoken on YouTube. Worship with a culture or community different than your own, just as Jesus and the apostles did. Then, find a quiet spot and pray or sing a favorite song together in your own language. You can spend time with Jesus doing both, just as the apostles did.

- Carla Christopher Wilson

Adult and Youth

Read: Mark 6:30-34, 53-56

Reflect: There is a lot going on in the sixth chapter of the Markan Gospel. The disciples are sent on a mission, John the Baptist is killed, Jesus feeds the 5000 and walks on water, and Jesus heals many sick and suffering. But we don’t hear about any of that directly in this gospel passage. Instead, we hear a proclamation that ties it all together: the inbreaking of the Kingdom of God in the person and ministry of Jesus. This shepherd, Jesus, proclaims a kingdom with a very different set of values and priorities. Jesus is not found consorting with the elite, the wealthy, and politically powerful. Instead, Jesus is found among the sick, the suffering, the hungry, and the outcast. The marketplace was not just a place where goods were sold; it was a place of debates, legal hearings, and elections. It was the center of the town. In other words, it was the center of life. By center his work of healing in the center of life, Jesus subverts the economy of the worldly kingdom and proclaims what is valued in God’s economy.

Respond: Find and participate in a safe, relational volunteer opportunity in your community. You might serve a meal at a soup kitchen or homeless shelter, or volunteer at a hospital or nursing home. Begin by learning people’s names, and, if possible, learn a little of their story. Listen with humility and practice being God’s loving presence. When we are present to someone and learn their name, we show that they are valued.

- Dorian Del Priore

Adult and Adults

Read: Mark 6:30-34, 53-56

Reflect: One key aspect of the Gospel that separates Christianity from other religions is that God comes to us to rescue us. What is also true is that Jesus calls us to himself. This means there is an element of us getting up and going to Jesus. This is not a passive process. It requires us to get up and go every day. Every day of our lives we must go to Jesus. When trials and temptations come, we must go to Jesus. When life is easy and mundane, we must go to Jesus. The Christian life is one of going to our Savior over and over each day. This can be hard in the busyness of today but the truth is, if we are not actively going to Jesus, we are passively going towards something else. I am reminded of the challenge of Joshua 24:15; choose this day whom you will serve.

Respond: Take time each day to go somewhere quiet to be with the Lord. This could be a short walk around your neighborhood or a long car ride. It could be to another part of your home. Find a place to go and be with God. Spend time in prayer and talking to God.

- CJ Quartlbaum