Holidays, Holidays, & More Holidays
At Grace, one of my responsibilities is to publish a weekly article in our e-newsletter, GraceNotes, about discipleship. Specifically, about the various components of our Discipleship Pathway and how a person could journey along it. This is my most recent edition:
Pathway Points
Stepping Up for Jesus
It’s that time of year again. You know where one holiday barely ends before the next begins. First, it’s Valentine’s Day, then Lent begins with Ash Wednesday, and then St. Patrick’s Day (because…you know…green beer), and Palm Sunday, and…wait…you don’t feel the pressure? I know it’s not Christmas, but nothing? Perhaps a bit of review is in order. After all, there’s no point in Christmas if there’s no Easter and Easter is forever intertwined with Lent and Holy Week.
Let’s begin with the end in mind. Candy hearts and green beer aside, Easter is the big holiday on the horizon. It’s the day that we celebrate the resurrection of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. It’s the whole reason that Christmas happened in the first place. So…it’s pretty amazing that Jesus rose from the dead (the resurrection) but if that’s all that we focus on, we completely miss the point.
Just like with Christmas, we have a season of preparation for Easter. At Christmas, it’s a time of celebration called Advent. Starting March 1st, it’s a time of introspection and reflection called Lent. We as Christians use this time to focus on our need for a Savior; our sinful natures, His perfection; our stubborn grip on earthly things, His patient pursuit of us anyway.
Join me each week as we dig a little deeper into this holiday season and what Easter really means. Also, be on the lookout for Lenten Devotionals coming soon to a Welcome Center near you!
Stepping up with you in His strength!
Monica Lebsack
Creative Ministries Director