I posted yesterday about what I was trying to do with a cell group worship session but didn’t give my solution! What happened was that ideas began to coalesce and so I prepared: looking up some suitable Bible passages, finding some pictures and scrabbling around in my garden to get a small container of dry dirt!

When we got to the meeting, I set an old towel out on the table with my container of soil and a glass of water. When it got to the worship section of the meeting, I started by reading Psalm 63:1. It talks of “… a dry and weary land where there is no water” and I passed round the earth for people to dip their finger into – a physical object to intensify the words and draw on the imagination to help us focus. We prayed, laying out our times of dryness.

I then read Isaiah 44:3, God’s promise of “… water on the thirsty land”, and passed round the cool water for people to dip their fingers in. The contrast between dusty soil and refreshing water was vivid. We prayed, remembering the hope of God’s promise.

Finally, I read John 4:13-14; Jesus speaks of “living water”. I poured some of my water on the soil, which would be enough to bring seeds to life but I would need to maintain the moisture to keep them alive. Jesus gives the Holy Spirit, who daily sustains and supports us, and we gave thanks for his presence in our lives.

I think it helped that it was a hot day – in the middle of winter, perhaps fire or oil or wind would have been more inspiring metaphors. However, all in all, it was very successful, something tangible helping us remember something intangible but real and setting our hearts and minds, with thankfulness, on God.

Tags: worship, worship tricks, cell group, water, holy spirit