30/06/2024
JUST BREATHE
Sunday 30th Small group notes:
- Perhaps begin by spending a few minutes chatting about prayer. What does prayer mean to you and what is your prayer life like?
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2. How does understanding the way “LORD” means “YHWH” and “Lord” means “adonai” influence how you read the Old Testament?
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3. If you would like to, you can watch the video by Richard Rohr again by searching “Yahweh Richard Rohr” or by searching the following link: (https://youtu.be/SilgjFpdtwM?si=Ur9rAhoh8DYlbJ2W)
4. Read Genesis 1:1-2: What is the relationship between breath, the Holy Spirit, and creation? How can we understand our breathing in relation to prayer and creation?
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5. Read Genesis 2:7; Ezekiel 37:1-10; John 20:21-22. What is the relationship between breath and life? Think in terms of both physical and spiritual life. How can we understand our breathing in relation to prayer and life?
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6. Read 2 Timothy 3:16. What is the relationship between scripture and breathing?
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7. Let’s spend 5 minutes praying scripture through our breathing by following the guide below. This is not the only way one can “breathe” scripture as a prayer, there are a large number of ways this can be practiced, but let’s focus on perhaps the simplest of them for today.
Inhale deeply and slowly through the nose:
“Be still and know…
Exhale deeply and slowly through the mouth:
…That I am God”
Psalm 46:10
8. If we think about prayer in terms of every breath we take being a prayer, this turns prayer from an “act” that we do during our day, to the very way that we live each and every day. With this in mind, how can you breathe this week?
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