Gathering
Opening Prayer:
Most loving God, whose will it is for us to give thanks for all things, to fear nothing but the loss of you, and to cast all our care on you who care for us: Preserve us from faithless fears and worldly anxieties, that no clouds of this mortal life may hide from us the light of that love which is immortal, and which you have manifested to us in your Son Jesus Christ our Lord; who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
Begin with introductions and the opening question below:
Opening Question:
What is drawing you to join in a group focused on zimzum discipleship at this point in your life?
Content Study
- Watch the video from +Phil LaBelle on the https://ecww.org/zimzum-discipleship-videos/ website introducing the series.
- Reflect on the video together.
Reading: Mark 1:16-20
As Jesus passed along the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net into the sea, for they were fishers. 17 And Jesus said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of people.” 18 And immediately they left their nets and followed him. 19 As he went a little farther, he saw James son of Zebedee and his brother John, who were in their boat mending the nets. 20 Immediately he called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men and followed him.
Reflection Questions
- Andrew, Simon, James, and John likely led very full lives when they encountered Jesus. What did they give up to follow him? Include wonderings of things beyond the text.
- Imagining you were along that seashore, what would it take for you to significantly alter or give up things in your life to follow someone like Jesus?
- When you imagine discipleship as an apprenticeship, how does that impact your understanding of your own spiritual practice? What can we learn from the disciples about their apprenticeship with Jesus?
- What is inviting or challenging to you about discipleship as “long obedience in the same direction”?
- The spiritual practice presented this month is “thinning,” intentionally removing things from our lives to create more space so we might flourish. Has this been hard or easy for you? What, if anything, are you intentionally pulling up from the garden of your life to allow your faith life and soul to thrive?
Final Reflections
- What has captured your heart or your imagination in today’s discussion?
- How is your soul?
- Where have you seen God—or Love—recently?
Closing Prayer
Almighty God and Eternal Creator, you sacrificially withdrew from a place within yourself in order to create the entirety of the cosmos, and so that you might be in relationship with us and the whole of creation. Help us to embrace zimzum and make space in our own lives, that we might more faithfully follow in the way of Jesus, who gave of himself for our salvation and for the healing of the world. All this we ask in the name of the Risen Christ, who dwells endlessly with you and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
