Return to the Lord

“Yet even now,” declares the Lord, “return to me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning; and rend your hearts and not your garments.” Return to the Lord your God, for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love; and he relents over disaster. - Joel 2:12-13

We are entering the season of Lent. Historically the church has used this time leading up to Easter as a time of spiritual discipline. We are but dust and to dust we shall return. We know that we are by nature sinful and our hearts want to seek after their own desires. God calls us out of these desires through repentance into the forgiveness of sins that is only ours through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. This time of discipline is meant to focus our hearts on Christ and away from the lusts that plague sinful man. Only in Him are our hearts of stone turned into hearts of flesh. He has made this known through the redeeming life, bitter sufferings and death, and the victorious resurrection of Jesus. In Christ, God has relented of the disaster that we deserved. To him we turn our hearts this Lent.

Lent has also historically been used as a time of intense instruction leading up to Easter. On that note, we are pleased to be beginning a catechesis class with four people who are interested in becoming members at Hill Country. We pray that the Lord would guide our hearts and minds to Him this season as we discuss the basic tenets of the Christian faith. May the Holy Spirit always point us to the love of Christ and fellowship in Him through His divine Word and blessed Sacraments. If you are interested in joining our catechesis class please reach out to us. We would love to talk to you about becoming a member of Hill Country. May the steadfast love of our Lord through our crucified and risen Savior, Jesus Christ, be with you this Lent.