Sometimes, when hope seems dead and the darkness of night closes in strong against us, God is about to do something really big.
Remember the introduction from session 17 – about how some movies feel like they are about to end wrong? Near the conclusion of the classic E.T., the heroic little alien dies. His finger will not glow; his body lies pale and lifeless.
In shock, the audience waits for something to happen. Things can’t end like this. “Wake up, E.T.! Get up!” Finally, as the music builds to a crescendo, hope returns. E.T. is alive! He has phoned home. His friends are coming. He glows again. The movie’s suspense, though only minutes, seemed to last forever.
In The Story, the people of Israel awaited their “resurrection” from exile not seconds, minutes, hours, or days. Hope did not return in weeks, a few months, or even a decade. The people of God waited for seventy years…almost two generations!
Finally, God’s plan to bring his people back to himself began again. God raised up prophets and leaders who loved him and glowed with his holy presence. Boldness was breathed into the people and hope returned. This was the long-awaited moment when the people of Israel would return to the Promised Land, rebuild the city of Jerusalem, and experience the grace of God in ways they had longed for over their decades of exile.
Think of an experience when you waited a long time for God to take action or answer a prayer. How did you meet God in the waiting and in the time when he finally answered?
The above is taken from The Story: Getting to the Heart of God’s Story, page 125.
1. Eventually, the people got sidetracked from rebuilding God’s temple. It was sixteen years before He finally got them back on track (Haggai 1; The Story, pgs. 266 – 267). What slowed down their work and what got them up and moving again?
2. What are some of the consequences we face when we do our own thing and forget to follow God’s plan for our lives?
3. What did God promise the people if they would move forward with his work (Haggai 2; The Story, pgs. 267 – 268)? How does this bring you hope and inspiration to walk in obedience to God’s leading?
4. The end of this chapter of The Story offers a glimpse of the political wrangling that took place behind the scenes. The governor of the region wanted the people to stop building the temple and accused them of having no permission to build it. After communication with the king of Babylon, everything changed – and, remember, there were no phones or email (Ezra 5 – 6; The Story, pgs. 270-273). How did God turn everything upside down and provide for the temple? How do you see the Upper Story breaking into the Lower Story again?
ReplyDeletePoint to ponder…
Sometimes, when hope seems dead and the darkness of night closes in strong against us, God is about to do something really big.
Remember the introduction from session 17 – about how some movies feel like they are about to end wrong? Near the conclusion of the classic E.T., the heroic little alien dies. His finger will not glow; his body lies pale and lifeless.
In shock, the audience waits for something to happen. Things can’t end like this. “Wake up, E.T.! Get up!” Finally, as the music builds to a crescendo, hope returns. E.T. is alive! He has phoned home. His friends are coming. He glows again. The movie’s suspense, though only minutes, seemed to last forever.
In The Story, the people of Israel awaited their “resurrection” from exile not seconds, minutes, hours, or days. Hope did not return in weeks, a few months, or even a decade. The people of God waited for seventy years…almost two generations!
Finally, God’s plan to bring his people back to himself began again. God raised up prophets and leaders who loved him and glowed with his holy presence. Boldness was breathed into the people and hope returned. This was the long-awaited moment when the people of Israel would return to the Promised Land, rebuild the city of Jerusalem, and experience the grace of God in ways they had longed for over their decades of exile.
Think of an experience when you waited a long time for God to take action or answer a prayer. How did you meet God in the waiting and in the time when he finally answered?
The above is taken from The Story: Getting to the Heart of God’s Story, page 125.
ReplyDeleteQuestions to consider….
1. Eventually, the people got sidetracked from rebuilding God’s temple. It was sixteen years before He finally got them back on track (Haggai 1; The Story, pgs. 266 – 267). What slowed down their work and what got them up and moving again?
2. What are some of the consequences we face when we do our own thing and forget to follow God’s plan for our lives?
3. What did God promise the people if they would move forward with his work (Haggai 2; The Story, pgs. 267 – 268)? How does this bring you hope and inspiration to walk in obedience to God’s leading?
4. The end of this chapter of The Story offers a glimpse of the political wrangling that took place behind the scenes. The governor of the region wanted the people to stop building the temple and accused them of having no permission to build it. After communication with the king of Babylon, everything changed – and, remember, there were no phones or email (Ezra 5 – 6; The Story, pgs. 270-273). How did God turn everything upside down and provide for the temple? How do you see the Upper Story breaking into the Lower Story again?