Last Sunday we gathered around the table. We chatted with each other, said hi, might have grabbed some coffee to sip on, and we opened in prayer.
Following prayer was the time to check-in. The time when we offer the insights and observations (and revelations from God!) that have come in the prior week and considering the prior homework assignment. This entire month of course, the homework has been to be reading a chapter of Proverbs daily. Some have found it to be helpful in remembering what day it is, some have found it to be rich/dense/much especially as it can feel more instructional and disconnected (as compared with narrative). More than one shared the repetition of the book is clear, especially when reading 1 chapter/day. (There was the mention that for example the rules for Boy Scouts seem to include the character of Proverbs without using so many words; someone (this might have been me!) might have offered that even with the repetition it seems we don’t retain the wisdom shared!)
Reading Proverbs in this way seems to be a good grounding/rooting for us. Offering some insight that we might well know, or might have very much forgotten. Some of the Proverbs of course lend themselves to laughter & smirks (at least around the table we gather at — I’m thinking specifically of all the verses speaking to what type of a house is best to live in! — let’s just say contentment & peace is to be sought above all else!). And it seems as a verse sticks with us — we find ourselves around the table talking about the bigger questions that we have; questions without easy answers (even if we find Proverbs to be an “easy” book.). Questions that this last week included grace, salvation, heaven, hell, who Jesus is….questions that leave some of us up at night, some of us in tears, many of us in prayer (& grateful that indeed we are not God). These are questions we are blessed to be working though and considering together in community. Questions that some perhaps never think about while others only think about them. And so with Christ as the center, and Scripture as a guide we continue the conversation.
Then we turned to chapter 21 — because it was the 21st! And we read verses and considered their meaning. And the conversation continued. It will continue this Sunday & I invite all y’all to join — maybe it’s selfish, but I enjoy being gathered at the table with y’all — it is a blessing. Until then prayers that God keeps you all and surprises you with grace that makes you smile & laugh!
In Christ ~
Rev. Sabrina Slater