Tessera Materials

Prayer

Most holy and eternal God,
you dwell in the heights of heaven,
yet you walk among those who refuse to see you.
Hold out your hand to each of us in this day,
and free us from the chains that bind us,
that we may be healed by Christ
and proclaim his saving deeds to all the world
through our love and care of one another,
our neighbors, and even our enemies. Amen.

Scripture

Psalm 43

Reflection and Discussion

Last Sunday in our gathering we explored Babylon, the system of the satan. She sits by many waters of the earth and the inhabitants of the earth are intoxicated by her. We reminded ourselves the characteristics of Babylon are...

• anti-God (deification of emperors/political leaders)
• opulence (indulgence of all kinds with little to no restraint)
• murderous (to achieve peace)
• obsessed with image
• militarism
• economic exploitation
• arrogance

In Psalm 43 the psalmist asks for God to send his light and faithful care. Light illuminates the shadows of our lives and reveals the ways we can be intoxicated with some of the ways of Babylon. God's faithful care walks with us as we entrust ourselves to the self-emptying way of Jesus in the midst of Babylon. We need this faithful care because we have seen where the self-emptying way of Jesus led him in the midst of his Babylon experience; straight to the cross.

• Allow God's light to illuminate your life. We can't be so prideful to believe it's only others who become intoxicated with Babylon's ways. Which of the characteristics of Babylon have you experienced to be intoxicating in your life's experience, and how has this potentially impacted your life, witness and care for others?
• In what ways do you long for God's faithful care to surround you as you seek to live in the self-emptying way of Jesus in today's world?

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