Journey to the cross

​As we continue through our Lenten season, I think that it is a really good time to look at our journey to the cross. How are we drawing closer to Jesus Christ as we observe our Lenten practices? Jesus wants us to grow closer to him and to one another. If our Lenten practices don’t have this as the ultimate end of them, then they are not accomplishing what they need too.

Jesus calls us to come after him, to come to him and deny ourselves. Furthermore he challenges us with the idea that if we “wish to save life, we will lose it” because in our journey—He is teaching us to trust what God has promised and trust that God will take care of our needs and wants. To see that God is active in our story (our daily lives).

During lent we focus on turning our hearts and minds back to Christ. How we do that is totally up to us but we need to pray about it and see what God is inviting us to do to focus our lives on him and his calling to each of us. There are three pillar practices of Lent—prayer, fasting and almsgiving. Prayer is not something that we are asking you to give up. It is the practice that we ask you to add just 5-10 minutes a day. Be intentional about it and you will find that God will show up more in your story. Fasting is giving something up. Traditionally it is some type of food but it does not have to be. It is giving up some type of luxury as a form of penitence. It is making ourselves a little uncomfortable to see how much God is doing in our lives. Changing our routines to see more of God. Almsgiving is the practice of giving more of what God has blessed us with to help those who are less fortunate that we are.

Let us pray that God will guide our journey to the cross by helping us fulfill his calling, and may these three pillar practices help to strengthen our Lenten Faith.

May The Lord Bless and Keep You,
Rev. Stephen W. Barch