Weekly Greeting - September 15th, 2023
Dear Bethlehem Family,
Forgive me for being “Captain Obvious,” but we lead very busy lives. We have so many places to go, so many things to do, and so many responsibilities that all place huge demands on our time.
Our recent church survey clearly showed that our decrease in worship attendance after the pandemic is largely a result of the many activities we are engaged in.
It has never been easy to make room in our lives for all the things that are important to us. Some years ago, Bishop Rueben Job asked: “Is it possible to find a place for God in our busy lives?” (From A Guide to Prayer For All God’s People.) Many people in our day and time have answered that question with a resounding no. Others have answered by filling every moment of every day with activity, until there is no time to even think about God. However, some of us yearn to find that sacred space and time.
Saints who have gone before us, leaving us with a legacy of experience in living with God, make it clear that without giving up some things, we will not have time to spend with God. Are there things we can give up in order to draw closer to God and experience God’s presence with us more fully? Our current worship series from the Book of Exodus is called “The Journey Begins.”
Please join me in praying that God will enable us to identify steps we can take to make our journey with God a blessing to ourselves and a channel for blessing others.
Blessings,
Craig
As we continue our worship series from the Book of Exodus, “The Journey Begins,” this week we will explore what it means to be set free. The Israelites were set free from Egyptian bondage physically, but they struggled to free themselves from attitudes and behaviors that prevented them from experiencing all that God had for them. A journey that should’ve taken three or four days lasted 40 years!
Join us for worship this Sunday as we celebrate the freedom God offers us. Our text this week is Exodus 16:1-18.
God offers us freedom through the grace and power of Jesus Christ and the communion and fellowship of the Holy Spirit. The Promised Land is just a few short steps away. Let the journey begin!