New Life and a life of prayer

As we move through Lent, and the start of April, moving into the new season of spring we are seeing new life blossom outside with flowers and trees beginning to adorn themselves in their new leaves. A beautiful time of the year with the lengthening days and the cold of the winter months beginning to be but a memory. 

April this year also sees the Christian year evolve into Easter when we celebrate new life in the Resurrection of Christ. 

Our Lenten observances continue as we approach Palm Sunday and Holy Week. I remember many years ago an incumbent of the Church I then attended would always say that we had to ensure that we had a good Holy Week that we journeyed through Holy Week from Palm Sunday to Easter Day. It is important that we do not leap from Palm Sunday to Easter Day without journeying with Christ through the dramatic events of Holy Week. I have come to know and appreciate for myself those wise words.

Maundy Thursday, when we hear the command from Christ to do this in remembrance of me as he enjoyed the Last Supper with his disciples, before going out to the Garden of Gethsemane to pray to His Father. A prayer of anguish that the events Christ knew he was to face could pass him by, but at the same time his Fathers will must be fulfilled, completed. Jesus begins to feel abandoned. He turns to his friends after his time of prayer and finds them asleep. The events of Good Friday, the trial, condemned, abandoned even seemingly by his Father. The people who where cheering and praising him, over-night become a murderous rabble shouting for his blood. There is nothing left but God himself and even there Christ feels forsaken. 

So to Easter Day the greatest of all Christian festivals when we celebrate the Risen Christ.

During this whole week from the events of Palm Sunday and Jesus driving the robbers from the Temple reminding them the Temple is a house of prayer through to the final moments on the Cross the Gospels record those moments Jesus spent in prayer to His father. 

Prayer is central to who we are as Christians. Prayer gives us support, we pray for healing, guidance, to share our burdens with God. Jesus taught us how to pray by example and gave us His prayer, The Lord’s Prayer.

Prayer is something we do in life when faced with decisions, or stressful moments, or in searching the way forward. As a Church we recently had an evening of prayer to seek God’s guidance as to the way forward for us, to seek his will. 

Members of our congregation meet together in 2’s, 3’s, or 4’s. You will hear the term prayer triplets. When in a small group of people, in a safe space, where we can share concerns, worries, moments of joy, things to give thanks for, projects that as a church we want prayer for. Important groups meeting together to pray. 

If you are interested in joining a prayer triplet then please speak to Tim or Glenn who can give you more information. 

Lent has been a time of reflection, whatever form that has taken for you, but I assume has involved prayer and being with God. Easter is a time of celebration, thanksgiving and prayer.

You are all in my prayers as Lent draws to a close and we all look forward to our celebrations of Easter.

Wishing you all a peaceful and joy filled Easter 

Glenn