MONDAY: PURSUE THE ONE
KEY PASSAGE
“For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”
DEVOTIONAL
Have you ever lost something valuable in your life? Whether the missing item was your keys, wallet, or even the TV remote, the entire focus of your world turns to that lost item. When the item is found there is a deep sense of relief and possibly a new found thankfulness for it.
Jesus’ heart beat for those who were lost, those who had no idea where to go, what to do, or who to turn to. It was the reason He came–to seek and save the lost.
We call ourselves Christians which means we are called to be like Christ. To be like Christ, your heart must look like His. He came with the intent to find lost people, and make them a found people.
As we live our everyday lives, we walk past, work next to, and interact with lost people all the time. Jesus’ desire is for them to be found. As Christians, we sometimes only befriend other Christians. But Jesus makes it clear that there are many out there who need to be found. There are many who need someone to see them and invite them out of darkness into His wonderful light.
As Christ followers it is good to have a solid community that encourages us, keeps us accountable, and disciples us. But this entire idea of GOING, and SEEKING, is about reaching out with love to people who do not think or live like us, because that is what Jesus would have done.
CHALLENGE
Scroll through your phone. Try to find three to five people that may not know Jesus and schedule a time to meet with them. It could be as simple as going for a walk in the park or grabbing coffee. Then, I want to challenge you to share with them, at some point in the conversation, how Jesus transformed your life. This is uncomfortable, but Jesus called us out of our comfort zones to seek and save the lost, let’s practice that this week!
TUESDAY: MOVED WITH COMPASSION
KEY PASSAGE
When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. So he began teaching them many things.
DEVOTIONAL
Jesus was moved with compassion. The phrase “It moved me” generally indicates a few things:
Something happened that made me feel emotional
Something happened and it made me physically jump into action
Something happened and it changed the way I live my life
People were so desperate for more of what Jesus offered, that they came in crowds of thousands. Scripture says He had compassion because they were like sheep without a shepherd, wandering with no direction and no idea of what to do next. They were looking for guidance and wisdom from Jesus because He was different from anything else.
This was part of Jesus’ nature, everything He did was for others. No matter how exhausted He was, He would give every part of Himself for the people that desired to know Him more.
We are followers of Jesus, and as he was “moved.” We should also be “moved” by those who desire to know more, learn more, and grow more. Here is the thing about being “moved;” it is not something that should stay on the inside of our hearts and minds. This feeling of being “moved” should physically move us into action to love and care for the lost around us.
The Holy Spirit lives on the inside of us and He calls us to move in our everyday lives. Whether that means buying someone’s groceries at the store, offering a kind word to a stranger in the waiting room, or checking in with someone you love.
CHALLENGE
The Holy Spirit is always speaking, but we are not always listening. This week before you go into your workplace, your school, or the store for the supplies you need, take a moment to pray and ask the Holy Spirit to lead you to someone that needs Him that day. Be bold and MOVE on what He prompts you to do.
WEDNESDAY: GENTLE RESTORATION
KEY PASSAGE
Brothers and sisters, if someone is caught in a sin, you who live by the Spirit should restore that person gently. But watch yourselves, or you also may be tempted.
DEVOTIONAL
Let’s focus on the term “restore” in Galatians 6. Restoration is the process of returning something to its original condition.
Restoration takes work, time, and investment. When Jesus found and restored you, He did not leave you in your mess. He picked you up, dusted you off, and brought people alongside you to help teach you how to walk with Him.
Now here is the obligation for us: what God has given freely to us, He requires for us to give to others. There are broken people all around you who require the very restoration God provided for you.
Here’s the truth: you were put in their path and into their life to be the light. You can be the one to help restore them. Do not hold others to harsh expectations and frustration, but with grace, gentleness, love, and patience. Be agents of restoration.
Here’s how that may look:
Communicate Directly - In private, have a genuine conversation to address the sin committed.
Correct Gently - Rather than condemning the person, point them back to the truth with love.
Encourage Repentance - Joy is the product of repentance. Encourage them to turn from their sin and back to God.
Pursue Restoration - Restoration is a process that requires partnership. Continue to walk with them in honest friendship.
CHALLENGE
Who is one person this week that you can walk alongside and show the grace and mercy of Jesus to? The same mercy that Jesus showed to you, you must now show to others.
THURSDAY: LEAVE THE LIGHT ON
KEY PASSAGE
“For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light”
DEVOTIONAL
What was your life like before Jesus? Would you describe it as darkness? The Bible does. We are told that life without Jesus is darkness. Walking and navigating in the dark is not only difficult, it’s dangerous. When we are saved by Jesus, our life becomes light. With Jesus, we can now see and walk clearly. Most people we encounter every day are still in darkness, and they need our help to see.
My daughter is scared of the dark. She actually has two night lights in her room, and we make a point to leave a dim light on in the hallway outside her room as she sometimes wakes up and makes her way over to our bed at night. We leave the light on intentionally, to comfort her and show her the way more easily. Groggily walking in the dark is especially hard to do. As followers of Jesus, we need to leave the light on. We choose to live as children of light in a dark and groggy world. We are light, and we don’t shy away from shining because light helps those scared in darkness. We pursue the lost by simply letting the light of Christ shine in the darkness.
CHALLENGE
Take a moment to sit quietly with God. Ask him to show you if you are hindering the light anywhere in your life. Are you truly living differently now as a Christ follower, or does your life still look like darkness? Do you only sometimes turn on the light for certain people? Do you intentionally dim the light around some out of embarrassment? God wants you to leave the light on, because someone needs it! Ask him to show you who today, and for the strength to let the light shine always, unhindered and unashamed.
FRIDAY: JOY IN REPENTANCE
KEY PASSAGE
“Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord”
DEVOTIONAL
When you hear the word “repent,” do you flinch a little? Have you only viewed that word through the lens of condemnation? Repentance is simply the choice we make to turn away from something and change our mind about it. When we repent, we choose to turn from something that harms our relationship with God, and we turn to Him instead for forgiveness and restoration.
Ultimately, we repent because we love Jesus. We don’t want anything getting in the way of our relationship with Him. We can go from flinching at the word repentance to taking great joy in it. It brings us back to God, it brings refreshment.
Through repentance, our heart is prepared to love Jesus more deeply. And when we love Jesus more deeply, we are more prepared to go and share that joy and love with others. We can lovingly help people see when they are heading in the wrong direction. We can help them find refreshment in Jesus as we have, not through harsh condemnation, but through gentle leading.
CHALLENGE
When is the last time you shared how Jesus has refreshed your soul? Through your testimony, God is able to reach others. Is there someone in your circle of influence that God may be nudging you to share your testimony with? You never know what God can do through your simple “Yes.” It could be the thing that leads a person to their own repentance, and finding Jesus that they, too, will be refreshed.