The Overflow

Last year I wrote about my experience of entering into our local jail to minister to the female inmates with a program called Residents Encounter Christ (REC). If you haven’t read that post, click the picture below and you will be taken directly to the story.

This past weekend I was back, but this time, I lead our little team. We had prayed, fasted and prepared as best we could to share the life giving love of Jesus Christ to those ladies in the orange jumpsuits.

But, I have worked enough RECs to understand, you never know what you are going to get when you come into that tiny little jail chapel. There have been weekends it seemed most of the inmates were merely there for snacks and soda. You wonder if anything is penetrating hearts or minds. You know the scripture has power, but it feels like they have helmets of steel on, deflecting much of what is being shared.

My experience this past Saturday gave me great joy. The women came in with an overwhelming longing for the things of Christ. They had a hunger and thirst, eager to hear what we had to say. Several were already believers, coming to strengthen their faith and grow more into the image of Jesus.

And yes, there were the handful who seemed to enjoy more of the earthly food than the spiritual variety, but God’s word does not return void, so I believe truths can still interject even when we cannot see it at the time.

As I have been reflecting on our time with those beautiful ladies, I was reminded about the importance of keeping our relationship with our Jesus fresh. Always remembering our first love. To see the fire in some of their eyes, watch them worship on their knees, hear their stories of God’s redemption and watch the tears flow freely as they encountered the love of Christ, was most rejuvenating to me.

I am always amazed at how the Lord works. We go to serve others and try to be a blessing to them, but it is us who end up with the overflow instead. I heard a pastor once, when asked how he was doing, reply; “I’m drinking from the saucer!” It took me a moment to catch his meaning, but then I realized he was referencing Psalm 23:5.

You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.

One of the best ways to kick start a stalled faith relationship with your Lord is to get out of your comfort zone and get your hands and feet moving. There are endless ways you can serve and be used by God. When was the last time you asked Him to place you in someone’s path who is in need of help?

Some of the smallest gestures, can make the largest impact.

• Fall is coming- do you know a widow in need of yard work?

• What neighbor wouldn’t want a bowl of chili as the temps start to fall on the thermometer?

• Pick up an extra blanket at the local store and give it to the guy standing with a sign on the street corner.

• Help serve at your local food bank.

• Call up the homeless shelter in your area and find out what needs they may have. Toiletry items? Food stuffs? Linens and towels?

• Have an area in your town that could use a little TLC? Paint, simple repairs or trash cleanup?

• Organize a prayer walk with some of your friends and hit your neighborhoods. You might even get the chance to pray with people who are out walking their dogs or taking the trash to the curb.

• Volunteer to babysit for the couple who are fostering in your church, so they can have a time of respite.

• Visit the elderly at one of the nursing homes.

• See if you can start a bible study in your local jail.

This is just the tip of the iceberg. I am confident if you ask the Lord for guidance and direction, He will show you a multitude of things that need to be done. There is, and never will be, an end to people’s needs. I am grateful to be a vessel in His service.

So is your saucer dry? Maybe you’re even running a little low on liquid in the cup itself? Getting outside of ourselves and focusing on how we can make a difference in someone else’s life is the key to an abundant, blessing harvest.

The theme for our REC was, “That their hearts would burn.” (Yes, I wrote about how I came up with that theme in last week’s post if that sounds familiar to you. If you haven’t read it, check that one out too! 😊) We wanted to love like, look like and sound so much like Jesus, they would hunger and thirst for nothing else. And I pray we succeeded.

But I also walked away with my heart set freshly ablaze, eager to soak in more of my Savior’s presence and goodness. Isn’t our God so good in all His ways?

So, how’s my cup doing you ask?

Ya’ll, I’ve been having to mop the floor from all the puddles!