Opening Prayer Led by Group Facilitator

Psalm 107

Pray the Psalm together aloud, alternating verses between two sides.  When finished, share reflections on the Psalm as a group

1  O give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; for his steadfast love endures for ever!

2  Let the redeemed of the Lord say so, whom he has redeemed from trouble

3  and gathered in from the lands, from the east and from the west, from the north and from the south.

4  Some wandered in desert wastes, finding no way to a city to dwell in;

5  hungry and thirsty, their soul fainted within them.

6  Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble, and he delivered them from their distress;

7  he led them by a straight way, till they reached a city to dwell in.

8  Let them thank the Lord for his steadfast love, for his wonderful works to the sons of men!

9  For he satisfies him who is thirsty, and the hungry he fills with good things.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.

As it was in the beginning, is now and will be forever. Amen.

The Command to Leave Sinai

Exodus 33

1.       In the Lord’s anger, He chooses to send His children on without Him.  How is this an act of mercy? What can you learn from this as a father?

2.     God’s people have undergone several journeys with the LORD, but now the Lord wishes to send them on a journey without Him.  What journeys were you first sent on by yourself?  Have you sent your children on a journey without you?  How can you prepare them for their journey without you?

3.     What is the difference between Moses’ reaction to bad news from the Lord and the Israelites’ reaction?  How do you train your children to avoid despair and strategically overcome obstacles?

4.     Despite the Lord’s initial decision not to go with the Israelites, he allows Moses to “talk him out of it”.  Who do you allow to “talk you out of” a decision related to parenting?  How do you balance challenging your children to do something without your help and coming to their aid when they feel your help is needed?

5.     Moses has had numerous interactions with the Lord before this point.  Why is it significant that the Lord waited until now to “reveal his glory” to Moses?  Why does a patriarch wait to reveal his full strength, knowledge, wisdom, etc., to his children?  How does the interaction between Moses and the Lord provide a model for when a father “reveals his glory” to his children?

Resolutions

Choose a resolution for this week from the suggestions below or make your own.  Tap on a resolution to email it to yourself:

1.    I will go to the chapel for 15 minutes and I will prayerfully examine frequent parenting situations where I should have removed myself.  I will share these reflections with my spouse to encourage accountability.
2.    I will compose of prayer of intercession to the Lord for one of my children who was rejected. 
3.    I will share with my children the lessons I learned from one of the first journeys I undertook without my parents.
4.    I will plan an age-appropriate journey for each of my children to be sent on without a parent.
5.    I will read an account of the life of St. Dymphna (patroness of those afflicted with anxiety) and will commit to regularly praying for her intercession for one or more of my children.  
6.    I will schedule lunch with an older Patriarch and ask his advice about when I should allow my wife/children to talk me out of a parenting decision I have made.
7.    I will create a plan to teach a new skill to each of my children.  It will be a skill that is new to them and will challenge them to grow. 

Previous Resolutions - Exodus 32

Prayer Partners

Discuss with your prayer partner the success/failure of your previous resolution & offer a vocal prayer for one another.