Hyde Park United Methodist Hyde Park United Methodist

Rivers and streams in the Bible symbolize places of refreshment and nourishment. Elijah was fed by a brook. Jesus was baptized in the river. The Israelites found hope when God parted the Jordan for them so they could enter the Promised Land. Psalm 1 describes the law of God, which enables a person to be planted like a tree in water. We all need times of encouragement that can come from meeting God at the river.

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Reflection Questions:
1. Among the 1000s of decisions you make everyday, can you think of a time where you felt really close to God, certain that you were on the right path with God, and felt deeply connected to the Holy. What was that like?

 2. In what ways are you choosing to delight in the God’s instructions?

 3. How might God be inviting you to change your thinking, your meditating, and/or the path you’re walking on, so as to bring renewal and refreshment to your life?

The heavens declare the glory of God, says the Psalmist. Often throughout the Bible, the skies symbolized the promise and hope of God. The skies contained a rainbow that signified an end to the flood. The pillar of fire and cloud in the sky led the Israelites through the exodus. And in 1 Kings, Elijah instructed his servant to look into the skies for a sign of the end of the drought. That cloud, the size of a human hand, was enough to remind people that God’s promise and provision were imminent.

HydeParkUMC.org/NextSteps

Reflection Questions:
1) Which of the three parts of Psalm 19 do you most resonate with—nature, scripture, or personal reflection?

2) What are ways you have found scripture, particularly the Old Testament, to be life-giving?

3) Where do you need balance in your life today?

The wilderness and desert are two of the most common natural landscapes in the Bible. Psalm 107 captures how the desert can be a place of loneliness, stress, and anxiety, which are common experiences for us today. But just as every biblical figure who entered the wilderness discovered, the desert is also a place to experience God’s presence in a new and profound way.

HydeParkUMC.org/NextSteps

Reflection Questions:
1. What are your most vivid memories of being in a desert?

2. Which of the four metaphors in Psalm 107 best describes what you are struggling with?

3. Do you believe that God loves you? What difference does that make for you?

Just as there are mountaintops in life, so there are valleys. The most famous reference to a valley in the Bible is in Psalm 23, where it depicts the long shadow of grief and loss. This service invites us to name our grief and loss, and points us toward healthy ways to process that grief and find hope.

HydeParkUMC.org/NextSteps

Reflection Questions:
1. What valleys are you experiencing right now?
 
2. How will you shift from talking about God to connecting personally with God?
 
3. How will you remember that God is with you?

Psalms 120-134 are often referred to as the “Psalms of Ascent,” which would have been uttered as the Israelites ascended the Temple Mount to experience the presence of God. The Bible is filled with “mountaintop moments,” when people experienced God personally and intimately. This service invites us to ask when we have had such moments in our lives, whether on a literal mountain or not.

HydeParkUMC/NextSteps

Reflection Questions:
1. What are your most memorable “mountain top” moments?
 
2. How does an “uphill climb” and a “downhill descent” help you focus on God and slow your pace?
 
3. How will you let God help you keep your highs from getting too high, and your lows from getting too low?

In Mark’s Easter gospel, the power of the resurrection through Christ can redeem the lingering guilt and shame of our yesterdays, the real time struggle and suffering of our present days, and the fear and anxiety of our tomorrows. God’s resurrection power is timeless, resilient, and always with us.

HydeParkUMC.org/NextSteps

Reflection Questions:
1. What boulder-type burdens are you carrying today?
 
2. Where have you seen evidence of God’s love at work in your past? In your present?
 
3. In what way will you move forward and claim the new life God is preparing for your future?