7/7 Discipleship

Being a Christian in our working lives

Session 4

God’s calling to everyone

We all have a vocation

Vocation …..

Vocation …….

Vocation …….

What does the Bible say?

• In groups, read and discuss the suggested passage(s).

• Be prepared to feedback briefly to the whole group.

Some questions to consider (and others may occur to you):

How and why does God call people in the Bible?

What is the significance of someone’s name (or the changing of a name) in the Bible?

What can we learn from the Bible about God’s calling to us .. our vocation?

A story …

The Hasidic rabbi, Zuscha, was asked on his deathbed

what he thought the kingdom of God would be like.

He replied, "I don't know. But one thing I do know.

When I get there I am not going to be asked, 'Why

weren't you Moses? Why weren't you David?' I am

only going to be asked, 'Why weren't you Zuscha?” 

The naming of cats by T S EliotThe Naming of Cats is a difficult matter,It isn't just one of your holiday games;You may think at first I'm as mad as a hatterWhen I tell you, a cat must have THREE

DIFFERENT NAMES.First of all, there's the name that the family use

daily,Such as Peter, Augustus, Alonzo or James,Such as Victor or Jonathan, George or Bill Bailey--All of them sensible everyday names.There are fancier names if you think they sound

sweeter,Some for the gentlemen, some for the dames:Such as Plato, Admetus, Electra, Demeter--But all of them sensible everyday names.But I tell you, a cat needs a name that's

particular,A name that's peculiar, and more dignified,Else how can he keep up his tail perpendicular,Or spread out his whiskers, or cherish his pride?

Of names of this kind, I can give you a quorum,Such as Munkustrap, Quaxo, or Coricopat,Such as Bombalurina, or else Jellylorum-Names that never belong to more than one cat.But above and beyond there's still one name left

over,And that is the name that you never will guess;The name that no human research can discover--But THE CAT HIMSELF KNOWS, and will never

confess.When you notice a cat in profound meditation,The reason, I tell you, is always the same:His mind is engaged in a rapt contemplationOf the thought, of the thought, of the thought of

his name:His ineffable effableEffanineffableDeep and inscrutable singular Name.

Peter

AugustusAlonzo

Victor

Jonathan

George Bill Bailey

Plato

Admetus

Electra

Demeter

Peter

AugustusAlonzo

Victor

Jonathan

George Bill Bailey

Plato

Admetus

Electra

Demeter

Munkustrap

Quaxo

Coricopat

Bombalurina

Jellylorum

Peter

AugustusAlonzo

Victor

Jonathan

George Bill Bailey

Plato

Admetus

Electra

Demeter

Munkustrap

Quaxo

Coricopat

Bombalurina

Jellylorum

?

Finding your vocation

Your true name before God

Working life

JobHome activities

Sport

Voluntary work

Church tasks

Club or committee membership

Family activities

Working life

JobHome activities

Sport

Voluntary work

Church tasks

Club or committee membership

Family activities

Skills

Qualifications

Talents

Gifts

Aptitudes

Experiences

Working life

JobHome activities

Sport

Voluntary work

Church tasks

Club or committee membership

Family activities

Your unique name. The personal qualities that make you who you are. The image of God within you?

Skills

Qualifications

Talents

Gifts

Aptitudes

Experiences

Working life

JobHome activities

Sport

Voluntary work

Church tasks

Club or committee membership

Family activities

Your unique name. The personal qualities that make you who you are. The image of God within you.

Skills

Qualifications

Talents

Gifts

Aptitudes

Experiences

Your Turn …………………….

Working life

JobHome activities

Sport

Voluntary work

Church tasks

Club or committee membership

Family activities

Your unique name. The personal qualities that make you who you are. The image of God within you.

Skills

Qualifications

Talents

Gifts

Aptitudes

Experiences

Suggestions for the week• It can be quite difficult, especially for adults, to get in

touch with the ‘inner circle’ of who we are.

• Some questions for thinking about are given on the handout. You might like to use some or all of these in order to help you to get more deeply in touch with your ‘innermost circle’.

• You might like to write or draw your response to these questions in a journal.

• You will not be asked to share your specific responses to this exercise, unless you want to, although it would be good to know next week whether or not you found it useful.

Closing worship ….