NOTES

God doesn’t call us to a love that is confined to our quiet times with Him or emotional expressions during worship service. He calls us to a fiery, fierce love with a strength that is manifested in action. He calls us to love Him by loving others. He assigns us the hard work of caring and of helping.

Take a moment and think about your to-do list for today. How much of it revolves around what you need to accomplish, and how much of it is focused on helping others? Try writing a list today that includes three things you can do for other people, no matter how small. It can be donating an evening to serve with a local nonprofit, or simply sitting with someone who is discouraged and being willing to listen. It can be buying a stranger a cup of coffee or sharing on Facebook about the orphan crisis and asking friends to join you in donating. It’s putting the action in love and love in action. Don’t miss the opportunity. This is what we were called to do. This is how we are called to live.

Verse of the Day:

Acts 20:35

Questions to Consider:

Why do you think Paul mentions the fact that helping can be hard work?

How can Jesus’ words about the blessings of giving encourage us when the work is difficult?

What character qualities do you think are important to develop so that we don’t grow weary in doing good? How do those qualities show up in your life?

What other steps can you take today to live out our calling to help others? Is there a family you can come alongside, a ministry you can become involved in, or a cause you can donate to?

Brainstorm some ideas and jot them down. Put the list on your fridge.

Prayer Points:

Spend a few moments journaling and talking to God. If you need some help, here are a few prayer points to get you started:

Take some time to ask the Lord to reveal to you opportunities that He’s already put in your life where you could be helping others.

Ask the Lord to give you the perseverance, persistence, and passion you need to devote your life to helping others when the work becomes hard.