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| The news recently has often been difficult to cope with. There was unprecedented flooding in July and before that three potential car bombs. (2007) Yet in the gospels Jesus said, "I have come that you may have life, life in all its fullness" (John 10.10). How do we hold on to the words of Jesus about having full lives when the storms literally and metaphorically break on us? We all try to cope in different ways when we think that a full life is not possible. These resources explore four different ways of coping with life. Each day is a self contained Powerpoint that lasts five minutes. The themes are briefly described below. Each day includes two Bible readings and a short prayer at the end. The presentations could simply be watched by a whole class during their daily act of worship, or students could play the parts, reading them in advance so that some of the drama of the story could be expressed. |
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Day 1 LIFE: People who cannot cope with all that life throws at them just focus on themselves. 'Look after number one because no one else is going to do it.' However, these people never experience the richness of life because a selfish person does not give or receive... Day 2 LIFE: People who cannot cope with all that life throws at them stop living in the present but start to live in the future or in the past. 'If only this had not changed, if only you had not done such and such. If only I win the lottery, if I meet the right person...' However, we can only live life, now... Day 3 LIFE: People who cannot cope with all that life throws at them start pretending that their lives are really full and interesting by making up stories that are not true. However, the truth eventually comes along and bursts the bubble... Day 4 LIFE: Perhaps we need to go through the other three stages in our lives to learn that life in all its fullness does not mean perfection, or riches or comfort all the time. True life learns and adapts and grows. Jesus wanted us to become disciples and I think we sometimes just limit that to being more religious, but actually I think Jesus intended us to be disciples of life, so that we are always prepared to learn and grow and adapt.
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Introduction