As is becoming a theme in these posts, I was surprised by how easily God used something I struggle with to speak to me. I've always found 'ritual' a bit difficult - just something peculiar to me. But God knows this, and decided to use one to take me deeper - a Passover Meal.

So, this being part 4, you'll have enjoyed the issues that 'Fasting & Feasting' has raised in your Small Group discussion time (part 1). And you'll have enjoyed sharing the workload of leading worship, prayer and witness, as you and your group have contributed in various creative ways (part 2). And not to forget the highly-thoughtful and amusing 'Babette's Feast' (part 3) which you watched together.

 
Now, as you approach the end of Lent, here's some basic instructions on how to enjoy a simple Passover meal together. It's a meal where you will worship, teach, learn, pray, and best of all, commune with God and each other. It is deeply meaningful (although you don't have to understand all of it, for it to be so) and I encourage you to put a little preparation into this one. (It also seems to involve the continual passing round of a large cup of wine, which I found particularly enjoyable.) Why not ask your group to share the prep? I've uploaded some basic instructions here.
 
Don't worry if you have to miss out some of the elements. The deeper aim is to share together, learn together, remember together. You might want to think too about involving your children, as the telling and passing on of the passover story, and all learning together is an important part of the ritual.
 
And don't worry if you've never done anything like this before. In our group, we actually read out the instructions as we did it! At times we were amusingly clumsy in our execution, and at other moments it was deeply moving. God though used it all, and it was a great learning experience for me! I learnt that God can use this, and other rituals, to deepen faith, to meet us in unexpected ways, to show His nature, and to further reveal His Kingdom - unfolding even now - in you.