Day 7: Merciful Lord, open our hearts to a deeper understanding of your love. May our repentance be genuine and our gratitude for your grace abound. Grant us the courage to let go of everything hindering our relationship with you. Amen.
Monthly Archives: February 2024
Tuesday of the Second Week in Lent
2.20.24
Day 6: Loving God, grant us the strength to persevere in our Lenten commitments. As we face challenges, help us remember the ultimate sacrifice of your Son, Jesus. May His example inspire us to endure with faith and hope. Amen.
Monday of the Second Week in Lent
Day 5: Gracious God, as we begin this new week, help us embrace Lent’s discipline. May our actions and choices reflect your love and mercy. Guide us in seeking forgiveness and extending grace to others. Amen.
First Sunday in Lent
2.18.24
Compassionate God, as we embark on this First Sunday in Lent, guide us through this sacred season, opening our hearts to the profound lessons of repentance, renewal, and a steadfast reliance on your boundless grace. Guide us in the footsteps of Jesus, who faced temptation in the wilderness and emerged victorious. May this day of worship inspire us to deepen our commitment to follow Christ and prepare our hearts for the joy of Easter. Amen.
Saturday of the First Week of Lent
Day 4: Gracious God, grant us the wisdom to discern your will in our lives. May our hearts be open to your guidance and our spirits be refreshed by your peace. Prepare us for the challenges and blessings that lie ahead. Amen.
Friday of the First Week of Lent
2.16.24
Day 3: Merciful Lord, as we reflect on your sacrifice, grant us the strength to bear our crosses with patience and humility. May the trials we face draw us closer to You, and may we find solace in the promise of Your resurrection. Amen.
Embracing God’s Grace: Reflections on Jonah’s Journey
2.16.24
This past Sunday was the conclusion of our series on the book of Jonah. The narrative’s powerful closing reminds us that God’s waiting grace is always ready to welcome us home despite our detours and disobedience. Jonah’s journey prompts self-reflection on our responses to God’s grace and our willingness to return when we veer off course.
Moving beyond Jonah’s story, we delve into a broader call to share God’s grace with everyone. The central message echoes that God’s enduring and universal grace extends to friends, family, neighbors, and even those of different faiths. The emphasis lies in embracing the transformative power of spreading this message and recognizing our role as vessels of God’s unmerited favor in our interactions.
As recipients of God’s grace, we are urged to actively extend the invitation to others. The call to action resonates strongly: become ambassadors of God’s grace in our communities and beyond. The closing questions challenge us to examine our inclusivity and confront misplaced anger, reminding us that God’s preferences lean towards grace over anger. The message encourages us to align our motives with God’s transformative love as we carry the lessons of Jonah’s journey into our daily lives.
Thursday of the First Week of Lent
2.15.24
Day 2: Loving Father, guide us through this Lenten path. May our fasting be a source of self-discipline, our prayers deepen our connection with You, and our acts of charity reflect your love for others. Strengthen us to walk faithfully in Your ways. Amen.
Ash Wednesday
Welcome to Lent 2024! Over the next 40 days, join us in a daily moment of reflection and prayer to guide you on your Lenten journey. Each prayer offers support, encouragement, and spiritual nourishment as we walk together through this sacred season. May these moments of contemplation deepen your connection with God and illuminate the path toward Easter’s joy and renewal.
In Christ!
Reverend Sela Finau
Ash Wednesday:
Day 1: Gracious God, as we begin this sacred journey of Lent, may we heed the call of your prophet Joel. Help us turn our hearts to You, embracing repentance and seeking your mercy. Let the ashes on our foreheads be a sign of our humility and a reminder of your boundless grace. Amen.
“Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return.”
Join us for worship this evening at 7:00 P.M. or at a church near you.
Second Chance
2.8.24
Despite disobedience, Jonah’s solitude, away from all voices, led to transformation. Even though the people of Nineveh lived a horrific lifestyle, when they fasted and repented of their sins, God’s mind was changed and extended mercy.
We serve a God of boundless second chances, an ocean of grace, calling us regardless of our past and reminding us of God’s mercy and mission. The narrative of Jonah extends this grace to all, emphasizing that seeking God leads to purpose and redemption.
In Lent, let’s turn off distractions, change our ways, seek forgiveness, and embrace God’s transformative power.
Grace and peace,
sela
(reflection based on Jonah, chapter 3)
a journey in existence 