Living Sacrifices

​Grace and peace to you as we embark on a journey of reflection, meditation, worship, and service over the course of the next several weeks of Lent. 

The Lenten season differs in many ways from the Advent season: we don’t have a hanging of the greens, we don’t sing carols, and instead of anticipating the birth of the Christ child, we prepare ourselves for His death and resurrection. Now, I admit that putting it that way, this all sounds rather gloomy in contrast—but we can rejoice because we know He has risen, He has risen indeed!

 “I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.”-ROMANS 12:1-2 

Paul writes to the Romans that we believers are called to study, worship, and renew our minds and in so doing, we may know the perfect will of God. Just as we marvel over the circumstances of Christ’s entrance into our world during Advent, we can also find ourselves amazed at the ability, creativity, and love of God. During Lent, we ponder how Jesus left this world only to rise from the grave to sit at God’s holy, heavenly hand. 

After spending forty days being tempted by Satan in the wilderness, Jesus stayed busy. During His last week on earth: he cleared the temple, cursed the fig tree, teaches the Sermon on the Mount—and that’s just the first two days. In fact, the majority of the Gospels focus on this latter part of Christ’s life. This Lenten season, won’t you join me in learning more about our Savior and the different people that joined Him on the Journey to the Cross? 

Blessings in Christ,
 Pastor Deborah