TUESDAY | CONTEMPLATIVE TEMPERAMENT - SERVE WEEK 1

Contemplatives are marked by an emotional attachment and surrender to God. They have a well developed awareness of His presence and desire to stay there as much as possible. If you possess a contemplative temperament, you might easily drift in the direction of being so heavenly minded that you are unaware of earthly needs around you. Let’s explore today how Jesus served others out of a contemplative heart. As Jesus reveals, some situations can only be served by a prayerful, contemplative presence.

Read the passage for today s-l-o-w-l-y. Enter into the scene in your mind. Allow a picture to form in your imagination. Who do you imagine yourself to be in the account (one of the frustrated disciples, the desperate father, the tormented child, someone in the crowd)? What emotions are you feeling as the scene unfolds? What ‘techniques’ do the disciples try only to be met with failure? How does Jesus display a contemplative temperament? Does his ‘prayer’ encourage or challenge your conception of prayer in any way?

• When did you last pray publicly with someone? What was that experience like?
• Do you ever feel a compulsion to invite others into prayer? How do you respond to that compulsion?