Preparing Our Hearts for Easter: The Journey
Easter is coming. In my role as a Worship Pastor, there are lots of details to get ready as Easter approaches. Songs need to be rehearsed, services need to be planned and musicians need to be prepared.
More importantly, Easter carries so much potential for transformation. We work hard to plan and prepare services that move the heart and open people up to the Truth of The Gospel. In our church, we will literally have thousands of visitors in our services on Easter weekend. What an opportunity. Rightfully so, we want our services to be authentic, powerful and excellent as we pray for these visitors lives to be changed. That is our sincere goal on Easter weekend: to see lives changed by the power and truth of The Gospel. We will spend a lot of time praying and working toward that goal.
But, Easter isn’t just for the visitors, right? Certainly the proclamation of The Gospel is a HUGE priority on Easter (as it is every day of our lives) but Easter is also for those of us who have already experienced salvation in Jesus. It is a time to remember. It is a time to reflect. It is a time to pour out our hearts in humble gratitude to God for HIs ultimate sacrifice.
I am speaking into my own heart as I write this. Far too often we sacrifice our own heart preparation on the altar of busy-ness. Not that those things are bad, they are necessary parts of our lives. But, it is crucial that we don’t let them rob us of the opportunity to prepare our hearts. If we don’t take time to prepare, Easter can become just another day on the calendar. God, please protect us from that!
So, I am working to prepare my own heart. I intend to blog about this as we approach Easter. Make the journey with me, if you like.
Here is a very moving prayer for the 2nd week of Lent that is really helping my focus today:
Lord,
your commandment of love is so simple
and so challenging.
Help me to let go of my pride,
to be humble in my penance.
I want only to live the way you ask me to love,
to love the way you ask me to live.
I ask this through your son, Jesus,
who stands at my side
today and always.
Worship Leader Probs 