Out of the Overflow
OPENING PRAYER:
Lord, search my heart and know me. Show me what is stored up inside and fill me with more of you. Amen.
"A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of." Luke 6:45
In his teaching on the plain, Jesus explains that what we do and say reveals what is happening inside of us.
REFLECT:
Our behavior tells the truth about our hearts. That can be an uncomfortable thought. It is easy to believe we care about the forgotten while our calendars and spending tell a different story. Jesus does not want us to be deceived by religious activity that never reaches the people closest to his heart.
Busyness is often the culprit. When life gets full, we forget things, and frequently we forget the most important things. We can be busy building our own kingdoms, filling our days with good things, and still miss what is right in front of us. Pastor Rodney shared how he once discovered that a close friend had gone two weeks without food, and he had missed it simply because he was too busy with his own life.
The answer is not simply to try harder. It is to store up more of Jesus in our hearts. When we spend time with him, his compassion begins to fill us, and what is stored up inside eventually overflows into what we do. A heart full of Jesus will notice the forgotten.
APPLY:
Look honestly at the past week. What has filled your time and attention? Choose one thing to set aside so you can make room to notice someone in need. You might use that time to help build beds for kids in our community who do not have one. Find out more in the Pathway App or at pathwaychurch.com/fostercare.
I WILL STATEMENT:
I will take action to remember the forgotten.
CLOSING PRAYER:
Jesus, I do not want to be too busy to see the people you love. Fill my heart with your goodness until it spills over into my words and actions. Slow me down enough to notice. Amen.
PRAYER REQUEST:
Share your prayer request and pray for others.