Opening Prayer
Lord,
Though we may grumble and complain,
YOU continue to stay close to us.
Let us be more mindful of your presence,
in ourselves and in others.
May we learn to look more deeply
into the truth which is Your Word.

Journal/Reflection Questions
Isaiah 55:6-9
• Where is God present in your life right now? How often do you see, here or feel God’s presence within a 24 hour period?
• Are there times when God is more or less present? When is He more? When is He less?

Philippians 1:20c-24, 27a
• Identify at least one person in your life who “magnifies” God. What qualities “magnify” God? How do you “magnify” God?
• What work in your life produces “good fruit”? How do you engage in “fruitful labor”?

Matthew 20:1-16a
• Share an example of how a person can live out the Gospel message in a positive way.
• Do you know people who live a life of generosity? How can you follow their example?

General Questions for Journaling
• How would you respond to someone if they asked you how you know God is near?
• If God is always near, why do we need to seek Him? What make it hard to find Him sometimes?
• Would God ever hold back mercy or forgiveness? Why or why not?
• Have you ever held back from giving or showing mercy or forgiveness? What was the situation? How can you grow and change from the experience?
• Follow your family tree back and identify family members who have been examples of “fruitful laborers”, “workers for the kingdom”. Spend time in prayer giving thanks for their example.
• How is grace given in the ways of the world? What does grace look like in these terms? How is it similar or different than the way God gives grace?
• Is generosity earned? How does one become worthy of being the recipient of a generous act?

Closing Prayer
Leader: When we grow weary and tired after a long day…
ALL: Let us turn to You, You are our reward!

Leader: When we find ourselves full of stress and worry…
ALL: Let us turn to You, You are our reward!
Leader: When we are limited by rules and regulations…
ALL: Let us turn to You, You are our reward!
Leader: When we think we are not enough or are alone…
ALL: Let us turn to You, You are our reward!
Leader: Generous God, you are all we need!

Challenge for the Week: Some of the first lessons we learn as a child are to be fair and to share. When we share our things everyone gets equal time or equal pieces so it is “fair”. However, the Gospel is not a very good example of being fair. I’d bet most people get offended by how unfair this story comes across at face value. Like most of Jesus’ parables, we need to dig into it and know there is a deeper message within. Our lesson is to know that it is never too late for us to turn to God and receive His love and abundant blessings in our lives. When we know and love God, we know peace. This week as you go about your tasks, share this message with others. Let them know if they do not already have a relationship with Jesus that it is not too late to start. God will give everyone the same amount of love, forgiveness, mercy and grace no matter when they come and no matter what they have done. Share this good news with all you meet!