Welcome to our weekly Friday Check-in for February 21st, 2025 ✅
If you are new to Soul Care, WELCOME!! We are so glad you are here. We have a weekly rhythm of checking in together on Fridays. We use Mindy Caliguire's Page, Person, Plan framework to create a weekly rhythm and prepare ourselves for Sabbath rest.
Today, let’s pause and turn our eyes upon Jesus...
If helpful, use your imagination:
Imagine Jesus is in the room with you, sitting or walking beside you, or placing a hand on your shoulder - whatever feels natural and comfortable. Simply rest there in Jesus’ presence as you pause, reflect, and pray.
Let's begin with,
Page: An Invitation to Reflection
One of the legal experts heard their dispute and saw how well Jesus answered them. He came over and asked him, “Which commandment is the most important of all?”
Jesus replied, “The most important one is Israel, listen! Our God is the one Lord, and you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your being, with all your mind, and with all your strength. The second is this, You will love your neighbor as yourself. No other commandment is greater than these.”
The legal expert said to him, “Well said, Teacher. You have truthfully said that God is one and there is no other besides him. And to love God with all of the heart, a full understanding, and all of one’s strength, and to love one’s neighbor as oneself is much more important than all kinds of entirely burned offerings and sacrifices.”
When Jesus saw that he had answered with wisdom, he said to him, “You aren’t far from God’s kingdom.” After that, no one dared to ask him any more questions.
Spend a few minutes journaling in response to this passage:
- What stands out to you most? Is there a particular word or phrase?
- As you read through it a second time… ask God, “to what area of my life does that particular word or phrase connect?”
- And as you read a third time, be asking God, “Is there an invitation for me?” Is there a response of some kind that God is inviting you into?
Next up is,
Person: An Invitation to Connection
When you hear love the Lord your God with your whole self and love your neighbor as you love yourself...
- Do any fears arise within you? What fears prevent you from acting in love toward God, others, or yourself?
- What part of Jesus’ words are you most drawn to? What part do you struggle most with?
- Who of your neighbors do you fear? Who are the people you find easiest to love? Who do you find hardest to love? Why?
Finally we have,
Plan: An Invitation to Intention
This month, we are continuing to meditate on and practice “fearlessness...”
God is love. When we take up permanent residence in a life of love, we live in God and God lives in us. This way, love has the run of the house, becomes at home and mature in us, so that we’re free of worry on Judgment Day—our standing in the world is identical with Christ’s. There is no room in love for fear. Well-formed love banishes fear. Since fear is crippling, a fearful life—fear of death, fear of judgment—is one not yet fully formed in love.
God-in-us enables us to live fearless and free, emboldening us to love the Lord God with our whole self and love our neighbor as we love ourselves.
Take a minute to sit with Jesus and discuss today’s Scripture and journal prompts. Share your reflections with him and ask for his spirit of love to reside within you and drive out your fears. Ask for Jesus’ help in living out the greatest commandments in tangible ways.
End this time of prayer by listening to Jesus in silence. What is he saying back to you? Finally, imagine Jesus saying to you, perhaps with a big hug:
“Take heart, it is I; do not be afraid” (Matt. 14:26-27).
Thanks for checking in today.