INTRODUCTION
Your friend's hamster is really important to him. Every day he feeds it and cleans it. He wants to look after it just right. So the day he has to go and see his granny, who is very ill, he's got a real problem - not just about his granny but about what to do with his hamster.
He asks you to look after it for a few days. Fine. Of course you will. The first day, Friday, nothing much needs to be done. You'll start tomorrow. But... on Saturday you go shopping and end up staying in town with your other friends. And then there's something good on TV, and it's tea-time. And then there's something else good on TV. And then it's bed-time. Next day, Sunday, you oversleep. Then your other friend comes to call for you and you have something to eat at his house. And you go skateboarding. And then there's tea, and then... OH NO!
In a panic you scuttle over to your friend's house to rescue the hamster. When you peer into the cage, in a panic, you see that there's no food, no water and the sawdust looks really yucky. The hamster crawls out of bed, spiky hair, slow moving, half dead. You feel awful... and just at that moment the door opens. Your friend has come home. What's he going to say?
Your friend doesn't shout at you. He doesn't panic or throw things. He just picks up the hamster, looks at you and says, 'We'd better get him to the vet'.
It woud have been easier if he'd been cross. But he didn't need to be. You've never felt so terrible in your life.
KEY VIDEO CLIP
Episode 11a: Tried and True
PRAYER
Sometimes we are not very strong. All sorts of things stop us doing what we mean to. Help us stay aware of what's important and have the strength to do what we promise.
Amen
MUSIC
'Jesus in the Garden' No.129 in The Complete Come and Praise
BBC, 1990 ISBN: 0 563 345810
NOTES
The Garden of Gethsemane is where Judas betrays Jesus. Earlier, the disciples have failed to stay awake and watch whilst Jesus is praying. Although Jesus is deeply disappointed with their weakness, he forgives them (the theme of this collective worship). In the next few days, Peter will continue to show his weakness (see the next collective worship in this series on Peter's denial of Jesus) but unlike Judas, he is not an active trouble maker, simply unable to live up to his best intentions.
In Storykeepers, the story of Jesus' betrayal is the 12 year old Justin's first attempt at story telling. When he cannot quite manage it, Ben continues for him. But just as the story finishes, the Romans burst in - the family are betrayed and Ben, Marcus and Justin are trapped whilst the others flee to the catacombs.
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