WEEK 6: APRIL 3-9
Raised to be Sent Out
During our last week in this Lenten devotional we turn to a challenging Resurrection story where we learn that the disciples are sent out and they too are raising people from the dead! Amazingly, that is also our story, that we have been raised to life to now join Christ in bringing light into the darkness. We are being called to participate in RISING UP and bring life into every part of our daily experience. In week 6, you will be challenged by some of our own faithfully answering the call to go out and “raise the dead.” As you read Matthew 10 this week, consider how you are being called to join Christ in His mission.
APRIL 6
Sowing Love
By Cathy Parva
God teaches us in Matthew 10, “freely you have received; freely give,” so a few years back I was searching for a place to serve and to love out what Jesus invites us to do in Matthew 28:19, “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations.”
It began when KUMC adopted Foster Elementary, just a block down the street from the church, to help with a “Reading Buddies” program. Volunteers for “Reading Buddies” were assigned a classroom teacher to work with and each week would show up to help a student or a group of students with their reading. I decided that this was where I needed to serve and signed up to help.
How in the world do you “make disciples” of second and third graders, especially in a public school where you aren’t supposed to talk about Jesus? That was my task and my challenge and all I knew to do was to love them the best I could and let God do the rest. Every week I went into Foster and worked to get kids to read, well some of the time anyway. We read after answering random questions about my dog or what was going to be for lunch or picking out the most comfy bean bag chair in the reading lounge. So actually we read for about 10 minutes. But each week I kept showing up and doing whatever I could do to help and to build relationships with 8 and 9 year olds. Eventually the kids started asking me questions… what do you do, why weren’t you here last week, why did you go to Haiti? I started getting to share things about Jesus and what I do because I love Jesus. The teacher allowed me to share with the class about a water project that we were working on in Haiti and also other ways we serve.
When I decided to volunteer at Foster I was going through a real season of change in my life. But Jesus has been and will always be my rock and direction who has freely given to me, so I wanted to freely give in response. I continue to volunteer at Foster, planting seeds where I can, and knowing that only God can make them grow.
Prayer: Father God, Thank you for the children that you put before us to love and help lead to you. Forgive me for those I’ve overlooked or haven’t given enough attention to. Lord, help us to do our best to remember how Jesus freely gave to us and how we are directed to freely give in response. Amen
Where is God leading you to “freely give”?
How will you live out the call to “go and make disciples?”
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