“Yet even now…return to me…” – Joel 2:12 (ESV)
Welcome to the February 2021 edition of the Cross Ties! It features the sonorous call of the Season of Lent. The Season begins with Ash Wednesday on February 17. This resounding Call will not only reach our ears—it will echo in the chambers of our hearts and souls as well. It should. It must. For it is nothing less than God’s Call to you and me…a Call that is always going out from Him to us. It’s His Call to repent, to listen, to follow our Lord Jesus more firmly and deeply day by day.
In other words: to return. Return and receive. It is the great message we recently celebrated with the birth of Christ. Luke 2:10ff “Fear not…good news…great joy…unto you is born…a Savior, Christ the Lord.”
I invite you to once again return to the Passion of our Lord. It’s our annual “pilgrimage” to hear again and reconsider again the suffering and death of our Lord Jesus. The whole reason He was born…to die in our place and for our forgiveness and salvation. Jesus Himself won’t re-live His death; but as we recall all that He allowed to happen to Him, we’ll recall—and receive—His love, grace, and power through His Word. Empowered by His Spirit, our response is to return.
I’m keenly aware that this season may well be your very first time to hear this invitation to come alongside Jesus and learn of His profound and eternal love for you. Perhaps it’s the first time you are being encouraged to experience it as something very spiritual, very meaningful for you personally. I welcome that! I applaud and affirm that in you! If you want to talk about it, please let me know!
Our Lenten journey this year is gathered and guided under the theme: RETURN to the LORD. It will feature an at home devotion booklet as well as midweek Worship Service opportunities on the six Wednesdays of Lent beginning with Ash Wednesday. These “come as you are” Services will be held at 10:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. And—as is now our new custom—the 7:00 Services will be livestreamed on our Facebook and YouTube sites. Pastor Harris and I encourage each and every one of you to be intentionally engaged in your returning to the Lord this Lenten Season. God’s rich blessings to you and yours as you do!
In the name of Christ Jesus, in Whom we are one,
Pastor Don Fraker
