Daily Devotional Guide
1.4.09
Consider these scripturally probing questions to enrich NEXT Sunday's (1.11.09) message:

                                The Shack Series (chapters 3-4):
                                  What's Your Great Sadness?

Day 1	When have you cried out to God like Mack does on the top of page 60?  Why do you 
think we cry out to God in such moments?  King David recalls his own times of crying out 
to God in Psalm 18 and celebrates God as his deliverer.  Has your experience been more often 
like Mack's (God seemed to fail him) or like David's (God seemed to prevail)?  When we trust 
God for a certain outcome and it doesn't unfold that way, what would be some examples of 
conclusions that tend to plant the seed of "a great sadness?"  Read through the opening phrases 
of Psalms previous to number 18.  Was it always rosey for David?

Day 2	Genesis 37-45 tells a story of Joseph, a Biblical character whose life was as full of 
tragedies.  List the tragedies in his life as they unfold in the story.  What do you think Joseph 
would have identified as his "great sadness?"  In what ways could he have viewed God because of it?  
Read Genesis 50:15-21 - the conclusion to Joseph's story.  What clues do you find that explain why 
Joseph has been an inspiration to generations?  Do you think he could have done what he did in these 
last verses with a heart resenting God?  Explain.

Day 3	 Each of the following days let's study some encounters of Jesus with people carrying a great 
sadness of various sorts.  Decide which one gives you the most hope and try to explain why.  Take a look 
at his encounter with a widow on the way to bury her only son (see Luke 11:7-17)

Day 4	Take a look at the weeping woman in Luke 7:36-50.  Same questions:  1) What do you suppose is 
involved in her great sadness?  2)  How does Jesus respond?  3)  What hope does this story offer you in 
dealing with your great sadness?

Day 5	Take a look at the anguishing father in Mark 9:14-29.  Same questions:  1) What do you suppose is 
involved in his great sadness?  2)  How does Jesus respond?  3)  What hope does this story offer you in 
dealing with your great sadness?