Each Saturday during Lent, we will take some time as a church family to practice a different spiritual discipline or spiritual practice together. Today, we are practicing Service with Cheri Meyer.
What is Service?
Service is an action that flows from a heart of love, from and for God.
How to practice Service:
…casting all your cares [all your anxieties, all your worries, and all your concerns, once and for all] on Him, for He cares about you [with deepest affection, and watches over you very carefully]. (1 Peter 5:7, AMP)
Service begins with our heart posture. We will start by renewing our dependence on the Lord. At the Milwaukee Art Museum, there is a painting called The Wood Gatherer. This painting is a visual reminder to me of how the Lord bears our burdens while we live in freedom.
Let’s pray a breath prayer as we give our burdens to the Lord. We start by simply slowing down, breathing in while praying, “I cast my cares on the Lord,” and breathing out while praying, “for He cares for me.” Repeat this five times, slowly. As you pray, imagine piling your burdens in the Lord’s basket, being free to live lightly, joyfully. Stay in this time for as long as you need.
Next, ask the Lord to help you live in this freedom throughout the day — in every area of your life. Ask Him to show you if there is any way you could bless others in your home or neighborhood. See what comes to mind, and do it! It could even be doing something that you already have to do, but with a different posture. Washing dishes for your family? Do it as worship and thanks unto the Lord. Picking up trash in your neighborhood? Again, praise the Lord that you can bless your neighbors in that way. Spending time interceding for others? That is also an act of service.
Following Jesus’ prompting to care for others gives glory to the Father and shows that we are His disciples (John 15:8). We receive life from Jesus and pour out to those around us. And He gets the glory!
Led by Cheri Meyer
Caring for Your Plant
BEARING FRUIT
Our plant’s determination to grow—a house plant’s version of bearing fruit—reminds us of how God created us for fruitfulness. Our heart posture is the beginning of fruitfulness that can be expressed in many ways, through service, praise, intercession for others, and thanksgiving.
How has your plant “bore fruit” in the past few weeks? Have you seen new leaves? Does your propagation have little baby roots? If your plant is dropping lots of leaves, looking soft or droopy, it may need a change of care. Is it in the brightest, but still warm, area of your house? How much water are you giving it? Overwatering is a common plant care mistake, leading to a plant with sad, mushy leaves. Just as our fruitfulness stems from a strong foundation in the Lord, our plant’s fruitfulness stems from the health of its roots. After you check the roots, poke some holes in the soil with a chopstick or handle of a spoon or fork. This brings oxygen to the roots and ensures the soil doesn’t get compacted. If the top inch or so of your plant’s soil is dry, give it some water. Reflect on the parallels between caring for your spiritual life in order to bear fruit and how you care and nurture your plant in order to help it bear fruit.
Led by Juliann Roedl
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