February 14, 2024 Weekly Update
Happy Wednesday!
Today we celebrate the most romantic of all American holidays by recognizing our…mortality?!? Yes, it’s a quirk of the calendar this year. Valentine’s Day and Ash Wednesday fall on the same day. Ash Wednesday is the day on the Christian Calendar when we gather to be humbled by our mortality and repent of our sin. We remind ourselves that we are wholly dependent on the grace of God. We cannot save ourselves. Only the love of God through Jesus Christ saves us.
Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of Lent, a 40-day season of preparation before Easter. During this season, Christians strive for spiritual growth by being intentional about spiritual disciplines like reading scripture, prayer, or fasting. How will you mark the season of Lent this year? What might you fast or remove from your life in order to make time for God? What might you add to your life to remember your dependence on God’s grace? Whether you are using ashes at home, or coming to our mid-day service at 12:30p, I invite you to use this prayer as we begin the season of Lent.
God of Eternal Love, We have made our commitment to you, and have started a new journey into purposeful growth. But, we know that if we are to remain faithful we need your help and your strength. So, we ask, Teach us to pray with faith and read your word with understanding. Teach us to worship with passion and gather together with love. Teach us to give generously, serve compassionately, and use our time mindfully, so that we may reflect your goodness, and that others may discover your grace through us. Amen.
Grace & peace,
Pastor Jared