Series: Overflow
Message: All of It
Preacher: Jessyka Dooley
Reflection: Jessyka Dooley
Live Wonder: Zan Long
Live Adventure: Zan Long
Live Purpose: Emily Ellis
Editor: Becky De Oliveira
Refresh: Begin with prayer. Ask for the Holy Spirit to open your heart to new understanding and for God’s character to be revealed.
Read: Ephesians 4:1-16 in the English Standard Version (ESV). Note 1–3 insights or questions.
Reflect: I’ve always been drawn to those oh-so-common elementary school science projects, aka volcanoes. There is just something so fascinating about making your very own volcano that can bubble up “lava.”
This series, “Overflow,” has caused me to think long and hard about how I view overflow. I recognized that in most cases I view overflow as a bad thing. Too much juice in a cup, too many leftovers after a big holiday dinner that will end up going bad, even too much money. They don’t say “more money, more problems” for no reason. I have become aware in my study for this series that I naturally have a negative mindset about overflow. To me, overflow means a mess.
But as I’ve studied, I’ve realized that overflow is cleansing. Going back to science, most labs have a shower station and an eye rinse station in case any chemicals come in contact with your body when they shouldn’t. If a chemical were to get into your eye, you would have to use the eye rinse to wash away the harmful substance. Your eyes don’t hold a ton of surface liquid, so all the water you would be spraying into them would be . . . you guessed it—overflow.
Our Words to Remember point us to the overflow of love:
Love should always make us tell the truth. Then we will grow in every way and be more like Christ, the head. (Ephesians 4:15)
When love overflows in your heart, it pours out in the things you say, and here we are reminded that the overflow of love makes us tell the truth. In return, it flows over and causes us to grow—both individually and as church communities on a local and global scale.
In a world of exact measurements, I encourage you to break the status quo. Let love flow over the lines on the measuring cup or spoon and let it change your life.
Recalibrate: What tends to happen when you let love overflow in your heart and mind?
Respond: Ask for more from God. Don’t ask for just enough. Be bold in asking Him to fill you up and keep pouring.
Research: Read John Piper’s article on the good things God wants to give us.
Remember: “Love should always make us tell the truth. Then we will grow in every way and be more like Christ, the head” (Ephesians 4:15 , CEV).
Jessyka Dooley is associate pastor at Boulder Adventist Church, leading Live Wonder (ages 0-3), Live Adventure (ages 4-11), and Live Purpose (ages 12-17), along with their supporting ministries. She grew up in Washington State and has a degree in theology from Union College in Lincoln, Nebraska. Jessyka has served in various areas of ministry, but her passion for discipling kids has taken center stage in her career.
Share the Words to Remember with your little one. “Love should always make us tell the truth. Then we will grow in every way and be more like Christ, the head” Ephesians 4:15, CEV). Watch this video with your little one, sing along, and fill up on God’s truth for your life.
Look at your arm and how your elbow works. Can you feel the lumpy bone that lets your arm bend? The bones in our arms and the rest of our bodies are held together by ligaments. Ligaments are tough, flexible tissues that connect two bones or hold together a joint. Paul encourages us to connect with each other and build the whole body up in love, as each part does its work. How can you connect with the kids around you? Think of ways that you can encourage one another.
Whenever I would go to my grandparents’ house as a kid and they would pour me a glass of juice or water, my Omi (grandmother) would always fill it half way. I found this quite annoying as a young child because I would always want more—especially since the glasses were only 8 ounces. I wanted my cup filled to the brim! Every time I would ask for more, and she would pour a few more drops sparingly into my tiny glass. Thank goodness God’s love isn’t like this! His love is overflowing and seeps into our lives. Through the overflow of His love, we are then empowered to love others. This love doesn’t just stay in our hearts, but it is shared with the world. As we enter into the Sabbath hours, thank God for this overflow of love. And thank Him for giving us exceedingly more than we could ever ask for or imagine.