Hi.

I wonder, is mockery for your faith something totally foreign to you? Or is it something that hits a little close to home? Abi was provocative in her thoughts on dealing with mockery and persecution. Thanks Abi! For the devotion this week, let’s spend time taking what she said and discerning what that means in our personal lives.

Stranger in a Strange Land series (part 5)

“Dealing with Mockery and Persecution”
Devotional notes

Readings to reflect on throughout the week:

Jeremiah 20:7-13
Romans 5:1-5
Mark 14:32-42

Next week’s readings:

Jeremiah 32:36-41
Acts 11:19-26
Matt 28:16-20

Personal/group study:

Pray alone or as a group. You might like to pray for your group to find belonging and community together, that God might strengthen you in one another’s company.

Share stories on when you’ve been mocked or persecuted for your faith. Or if not for your faith, then in general. How did you deal with with it at the time? If you’re alone, you might like to journal the experience.

Read Jeremiah 20:7-13. If you’re a group, you might like to read a verse each. If alone, meditate through it two to three times. Reading slowly aloud often helps to bring out new things in the text.

What strikes you in the text? How do you react to Jeremiah’s prayer?

In verse 9, Jeremiah talks about a tension of faith: a desire to keep his faith secret but a compulsion to share it. Where do you sit in this tension? Do you tend to keep your faith private/secret, or are you very open with friends/colleagues/family etc.?

What does expressing your faith look like for you? Why do you think you express (or not) your faith in the way you do?

“The Face of Christ” by Peter Howson

Reflect on this painting by Peter Rowson entitled, “The Face of Christ”. How do you understand persecution and mockery in light of who Christ is?

What does a “persecuted Christ” mean for your faith personally?

Close by praying for courage throughout the week to share your faith in the world.