Hearing God’s voice through observation

From Leaderpedia

• see other Learning Experiences

Keith Yoder

Preparation: Arrange chairs in a circle with 4-7 persons in each circle, depending upon the number of persons in the group as a whole. In the center of each circle, place a basket (or other container) with a variety of common objects from the context of your culture. There should be one or two items more than the number in each circle. [Alternative kinds of objects may include manufactured items, artistic items, and objects from nature]

As people enter the room, invite them to take a seat in one of the circles (If they are already present in a large group, they can be invited to arrange their chairs in a circle into which you place the basket of items).

Process

• Give a brief description of worship as worth-ship—declaring the worth of another.
• Read [or invite a participant to do so] Psalm 33:8, commenting on the invitation to join others around the earth to uphold the wonders of God with awe and worship
• Note that one of the ways that hear God’s voice is through observation of natural phenomenon as in Proverbs 24:30-34; invite a participant to read this passage; reinforce the principle in verse 32 of “considering well and learning by observation.”
• Read I Peter 4:10-11 as an encouragement to speak with passion as each shares their words of “worth ship” unto the Lord.
• Pray asking the Holy Spirit to direct us in selecting an object from the basket to “consider well” and discern a way in which we can associate that with the nature or character of the Father and/or Christ.
• Pass the basket, select items, and quietly “consider it well” for a few moments; then invite the participants to pray in each circle, in the order they are led, expressing their awe and wonder directly to God as worship; it is better to express it to God directly rather than explain it to one another and then attribute it to God.
• Conclude the time with again Psalm 33:8 as an expression of joining all the earth in lifting our praise to God.
• Invite persons to replace the objects they have chosen in the baskets.

Alternatives

• Conclude with a time of debriefing noting the appreciation members of each circle have for the insights, creativity, or sensitivity they have observed in others
• Instead of using items in a basket, one may have the group look through a window and select an object they see in the landscape and “consider it well” and share as above; this is particularly effective when persons are in a new environment and can see a wide expanse through the window.