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Jeremiah's vision is of desolation...

Illustration
Proper 19 | Ordinary Time 24 - C
Jeremiah 4:11-12, 22-28
Jeremiah's vision is of desolation far-surpassing any imagination. At 2 a.m. on August 6, 1945, a B-29 bomber piloted by Colonel Paul Tibbets named the Enola Gay took off from the airfield on Tinian. On board was an atomic bomb named "Little Boy." Just after 6 a.m. the bomb was armed, and Colonel Tibbets informed the other nine men on the plane of their deadly cargo. At about 7 a.m., the Japanese detected the plane and informed people in Hiroshima, one of two targets determined earlier during the Potsdam conference. No bombers were spotted and the people in the city went back to work.
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Plus thousands of non-lectionary, scripture based resources...

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Object: The object of the lesson is a gesture you will teach the children.

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Call to Worship:

Jesus warned against with those who store up treasures for themselves but are not rich towards God. Through our worship today let us pledge ourselves to seek our treasure only in God.

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Jesus, sometimes we envy others because of all they possess.
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Jesus, sometimes we desire all that money can buy.
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For he satisfies the thirsty, and the hungry he fills with good things.... Let those who are wise give heed to these things, and consider the steadfast love of the Lord.
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How do you focus on something unseen? How can we set our minds on that which we can't touch, or taste, or verify scientifically? Most practical people want proof. Abstract propositions are difficult to get our arms around, especially if they are from another time and place.
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This story begins with gift -- with blessed gift -- with miraculous, blessed giftedness. And I will even tell you now the theme of the story: if you keep your eye on the giftedness of everything, then you yourself can be a gift, you can be a giver, rather than a hoarder.
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