Church Family Moment for Sunday, March 10, 2024

By Rebecca Guzman, SMPC Director of Spiritual Formation

1. Our Lenten word for today is “forsaken.” Jesus asked, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” We are reading Psalm 22 because Jesus was reciting a Psalm that he knew. These same words can be found in Psalm 22. What hymns, prayers, and scripture have you memorized?
2. When I was little, my favorite book was Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day by Judith Viorst. You can see and hear a readaloud of it here. I think the reason I loved it so much was that it reminded me that other people have bad days too. I’m not comparing the day Jesus died to a regular bad day, but I do think that it’s important for us to know and understand that Jesus knew about all of our feelings—of being “forsaken,” sad, lonely, and hopeless. What do you notice about Alexander’s bad day?
3. Play hide and seek. Make sure you take turns so that everyone gets to hide and to seek. As you play, think about how it feels to be lost and alone. What does it feel like to be found? What does it feel like to know that Jesus may have felt lost and alone too?
4. Journal, considering the following:
   1. What are some songs or scriptures you know by heart like Jesus and his community knew the Psalms?
   2. What do you do when you feel alone and hopeless?
   3. Has God ever felt very near to you? What was that like?
   4. Has God ever felt very far from you? What was that like?