Lament and Remember
Psalm 77
Abby Odio, Pastor of Teaching and Formation, abbyo@churchbcc.org
Invitation to Lament
Invitation to Pause
Invitation to Remember
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Discussion Questions
Before questions, attempt to give the group a bit of a summary of the main points of the sermon and then choose a few questions that fit your group’s needs and style. We don’t intend for you to use all of these. Three to five questions may be a good number.
Begin by reading through Psalm 77 and John 13:1-8
Abby shares a story about her two-year old’s attempt to eat ant poison and how that exposed the truth that she is not in control. In what ways have you created an illusion of control in your life, and how has that been challenged this week?
Each week we gather, we are asked to consider what it means, on this day, in this moment in history, that God has placed us here to be a people of lived embodied hope.
How is God inviting you to be a beacon of hope in your community?
What would need to shift in order for you to say yes to this invitation?
Invitation to Lament
In Psalm 77:2 the Hebrew word for hand can also mean a wound, implying a vulnerable posture before God.
What has it been like for you to be vulnerable with God?
In what ways does that come easily and in what ways is it challenging?
In John 13, we read that Jesus washed the feet of his disciples, but Peter struggled to receive this act of service. Jesus responded in verse 13 , saying, “Unless I wash you, you have no part with me.” Where have you struggled to receive Jesus’ love?
Through lament, we acknowledge our need for God and allow him to meet these needs. What laments in your life are drawing you to reach out for God today?
Invitation to Pause
The word Selah, which appears 3 times in Psalm 77, is an invitation to pause, be silent, and reflect. In light of your own circumstances this week, where do you need to pause?
As a group, you may want to take a holy pause together. Sit for a minute or two, remembering that God is with you in the silence and in the realities of your life.
If you decide to share a pause together, spend a few minutes discussing your experience.
Sometimes pauses like this can be restful, but they can also expose your anxieties and fears about life. Remember, no matter what comes up for you, God is present and willing to navigate any and all vulnerabilities with you.
Invitation to Remember
The Psalmist shifts to a posture of remembrance starting in Psalm 77:10, recalling God’s faithfulness throughout Israel’s history. As you consider your life, where do you see evidence of God’s faithfulness?
When Jesus shared the communion meal with his disciples, he started with an invitation to remember him. Through this act, the disciples, and now us, are brought into God’s story.
How do you react to that truth today, that God’s story is your story?
How is God inviting you to receive his story as your story?
Close your time by reading Psalm 77 together out loud, letting this story become your story as you declare it in your own voice.