Dear Grace Family:
Peter Marty, the editor of The Christian Century magazine, is one of my favorites. Recently, he wrote an article about the practices of faith. He said, “Faith is a way of life that acquires its layers and contours incrementally, often imperceptibly.” His point was that our faith grows deeper over time as we encounter relationships with people from all walks of life and we look for what God is trying to teach us. Over time, as we grow closer to Christ, we develop a greater sense of trust. This trust gives us courage to face any obstacle, as our awareness of the Holy Spirit grows.
However, just like our physical muscles, our faith muscles will weaken if not used. We use our faith muscles through prayer, testimony, study and service. Maybe this is a good year to focus less on our physical muscles and more on our faith muscles. If you need a good “faith workout”, I challenge you to commit to a regular faith practice, whether it is regular worship attendance, prayer, service, or all of the above.
As we heard last week in worship, Mike Ferger is offering a special time at 10am Sunday in room 213 to share updates about our sister church in Cuba. I encourage you to attend this event if you are able. Mike is a wonderful presenter for this topic because he has a genuine love for the Cuban people.
This Sunday, January 21, the scripture passages are Luke 19:1-9 and Mark 10: 17-27. Pastor Gary will offer the message, which is the second in a series, and the message title is “The New Year: How to Live With a Purpose.” I encourage you to read the passages prior to worship and consider how they relate to your life. As always, Pastor Gary is sure to offer an uplifting message.
Steve Hart