My Portion

"I say to myself, "the Lord is my portion; Therefore I will wait for him." Lamentations 3:24 As I read this verse in scripture my thoughts conjured up an image of the four compartment trays that our family has used for large family gatherings such as Thanksgiving. It's hard to imagine, but our national holiday that is set aside for us to reflect on all we have and all we have been given is just around the corner. My how 2024 has sped by! Yet I digress, the compartment trays are generally chosen because they allow us to place varying food items in their own individual compartment. This in turn keeps the gravy and vegetable juices from merging together and creating a murky mess. Three of the compartments are similar in size, typically small and squarish in shape, but the fourth or main compartment is visually  larger. In my mind this particular aspect of the design of the compartment tray is such that we can fill the largest part of our tray with the food item that we want the largest portion of. In the case of Thanksgiving, for me that section of my tray would be reserved for the turkey and dressing. For others it might be for ham and rolls, or others may choose to fill that larger section with a healthy portion of mashed potatoes and gravy. In much the same way, in life our heart and mind serve as a compartment tray for what we value and desire more of. Our question today is what are we filling that largest portion of your heart and mind's compartment tray with each ?

Just as with our compartment tray analogy above, we all have compartments in our hearts and minds that we fill with what we want the most. Looking back at our scripture from the Book of Lamentations the author states that he wants the biggest portion or compartment on his tray to be filled with the Lord. Have you ever stopped and reflected on what resides in the biggest portion of your heart, mind, and soul? 

One way to evaluate your life's compartment tray is to take a survey of what takes up most of your day and time. Is it work? Do you spend more of your day and the majority of your waking hours focused on your job and what you have to do next, or what deadline is looming? Or could the largest portion of your day be focused on what you spend your time doing outside of work? For many people, they work for a living and they live for the weekend. Sports, hobbies, or other personal interests may fill that portion of your life's compartment tray.  Maybe your heart's portion is focused on social media and likes? We live in a world where the electronic device in our hand could definitely be or become the portion of our lives that controls what we do and who we are. Keep in mind the words of Jesus from the Gospel of Matthew 6:21 "For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."

Our job is to ensure we don't allow the things of this world to fill the largest portion of our heart, mind, soul and body. Thinking in terms of our "Turkey Day" tray we don't fill the largest portion of our plate with cranberry sauce, do we?  No, because without the turkey, the cranberry just doesn't fill us. Today take stock of what you give the biggest portion of your day to and where you focus your efforts and energy. Life is more than what we "want", it should be all about what God wants us to do and what He has planned for us to be. If your life's compartment tray is pouring over with self-gratification or the world's values have your soul's tray weighed down, it may just be time to reevaluate what resides in the largest portion of your heart, mind, and soul. If you don't like what you see, then ask God to help you reconfigure your priorities and place the first things first. "But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well." Matthew 6:33

Coach Carter