Dear HBIC Family,

As we enter this Lenten season, we begin with prayer. And one of the people I think of when it comes to prayer, is James the Just. Respected as both the brother of our Lord Jesus and an early leader of the Church, James in his epistle provides practical guidance for everyday living as he talks about faith and works, perseverance and persecution, humility, and faithfulness in righteously living out your faith. 

The final passage of the epistle of James is one of my most cherished portions of Scripture. James has been writing as shepherd to encourage his flock. He concludes however, admonishing the wealthy who have enjoyed luxury by oppressing workers even to the point of death. He then calls for his brethren in Christ to be patient, even in suffering – because Christ is coming soon, justice is on the way, perseverance is rewarded, and we are called to be truthful. 

And then James ends with a call to prayer. He reminds us that we can pray in trouble, and we can sing songs of praise. We can pray as individual intercessors and as a community. We can pray and rely on God’s goodness and forgiveness. We can confess to each other, pray for each other, and know that God will bring healing. We can persevere in prayer. We can even see people who have turned from God, come back into the fold, through God-led prayer and ministry. One thing that really dawned on me anew this week, is that I absolutely love what James says about prayer, because what James teaches about prayer, he learned from Jesus. 

This week, we begin our walk through the Lenten season, continuing our Good News for the Lost sermon series on the book of Luke. We will focus on prayer, as Jesus taught us how to pray. As you prepare for this week’s service, I would like to invite you to read and meditate on Luke 11:1-13. As you reflect, I would like to ask you to focus on the following questions:

What is prayer to you? How do you pray?

How have you learned to pray? Who has been your teacher on prayer?

How has God taught you perseverance through prayer?

What is one way that your reliance on God, has grown through prayer?

Who is one person you can commit to praying for this week?

What is one major concern in the world, you can pray for this week?

I love that prayer is a personal conversation with God. We get to come with open hearts, hands, and minds too. We get to call on our God who we know, and who perfectly knows us. We come, accepting God’s invitation and surrendering to the Spirit’s direction. We pray, as Jesus has taught us to pray. 

Sisters and brothers, Lent is a journey with God. May our prayers be honest and vulnerable. May our hearts and spirits be filled. And may our words and actions, our prayers, mold us into who God has called us to be and inspire us to be who our world needs us to be – for the sake of our Father’s kingdom. 

God bless you all!

Love in Christ,

Pastor Hank (Luke 11:9-10)