Dear Grace Family,
Between last Lord’s Day and the one coming up, we’ve been able to celebrate nearly all the hallmarks of church life together! This past Sunday evening we feasted together at the Lord’s Table reminding one another and being reminded by the feast that “Christ has died. Christ is Risen. Christ will come again.” We also had the privilege of receiving new members into our church family. It’s always special when we can time it where the sacraments and the reception of new members occur in the same service. I say that because if we pay close attention to the symbolism, it tells us a lot. For instance, what we celebrated Sunday night was not simply new faces that will be a part of our lives in this stretch of the pilgrim journey; we also celebrated people who will be around us at the lamb’s high feast for eternity. What we do here is all meant to point to what we will do there!
This coming Sunday morning, we will observe the sacrament of baptism as two covenant children are brought by their parents before the church and before the Lord. Y’all, these past two weeks are as good as it gets this side of heaven. The only thing that could top it is if full blown revival descended on us one Sunday. I want us to make sure we are appropriately thankful for seasons like this and that we never take any of it for granted. It is my continued prayer that the Lord would keep giving us a season of healing and hope. A season of growing in grace. A season of zeal for the Lord. A season of loving with our whole hearts. Like it or not, we are family. Let’s keep learning to love each other – all of each other. It’ll always be tempting to love some and tolerate others, but that is not an option in the church. Let’s pray the Spirit will continue to be the glue we need to hold this thing together. And, for goodness’ sake, let’s not do anything to sabotage what the Lord is doing, because in our flesh that’s a real possibility. I’m grateful. I’m hopeful.
Humbly yours,
Seth