Message by Kerrie Bauer, recorded live October 27, 2024 at First Presbyterian Church of Bellingham. Scripture read by Ozzie, Felix, Sarah, and Andy Lewis.
In the Face of Fear
Through wrestling with God in the face of fear, we open ourselves to see the Face of God.
- Jacob was “very afraid and distressed” when he heard Esau was coming to meet him with 400 men. The Hebrew word for “distress” implies “to be narrow, bound up, be restricted.” Closed in. Trapped. When have you experienced fear of this kind? How does fear/anger play into your family relationships? What is being threatened?
- Have you ever “wrestled”, argued, pleaded with God in such a way that exhausted you physically, emotionally, and spiritually? Reflect on and/or describe that experience - paying attention to the physical realities of that experience.
- Where did you tend to be when you brought that kind of intensity before God?
- What was the state of your heart rate, breathing rate, your gut?Where (or in whom) have you seen the Face of God?
Genesis 27, 32:7-12
