Good morning, and a most blessed Thursday to you.

We just wrapped up our fourth midweek Lenten service, beautifully led by the children. It was such a meaningful time for the congregation—not only because it’s the season of Lent, but also because it’s so special to have the children lead us in worship. It truly was a gift.

Each week during these midweek services, we closed with a responsive prayer that tied into the fruit of the Spirit we had focused on. For example, if that week's theme was peace, the prayer would end with:
Leader: “Lord, in your mercy.”
Congregation: “Let us be known by our peacefulness.”
Each week followed this pattern, asking that we might be known by our patience, gentleness, peacefulness—whatever fruit had been our focus.

At the most recent service, we centered on faithfulness. We reflected on how God is eternally faithful—first and foremost to Himself. He is just, merciful, good, and unchanging. Because of His perfect justice, He cannot be in the presence of sin. And yet, in His perfect mercy, He took the punishment for our sin upon Himself when He went to the cross.

God is faithful to us because He is faithful to Himself. Out of that divine faithfulness, He reconciles us to Him.

What stood out in that final prayer was this: after the child prayed “for Christ’s sake,” the congregation responded not with, “Let us be known by our faithfulness,” but rather, “Let us be known by your faithfulness.”

As children of God, we don’t boast in our own faithfulness. Instead, we want to be known by His faithfulness—His unrelenting love for us. It is not because we are so faithful to Him, but because He is so faithful to us. And from that faithfulness flows our ability to believe, to serve, and to love.

It all begins with Him.

I highlight this today knowing that not everyone is able to attend the midweek services, and maybe some of you missed that final prayer. But it’s a truth worth holding on to: we are known not for our efforts, but for His enduring faithfulness.

Let’s pray.

Heavenly Lord, we praise You for being a faithful and loving God—faithful in Your justice, and faithful in Your mercy. You took our punishment and, in return, gave us Your own holy righteousness. We thank You that our eternity with You is not because of our own goodness, but because of Yours.

Lord, use us this week. Use us to share Your love, to serve You, and to proclaim Your faithfulness to all. We know we are nothing without You, and yet through Your love, You’ve given us everything we need—You’ve given us Yourself.

We praise You for Your faithfulness to Your own nature and for Your faithfulness to us. In Christ’s name we pray—let us be known by Your faithfulness. Amen.

Have an amazing rest of your week.
I look forward to worshiping with you as we enter into Holy Week. Remember, Palm Sunday begins it all—the start of Passion Week, the week where we walk through Christ’s great love for us. From Palm Sunday through Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and ultimately to the joy of Easter morning, we celebrate our risen Lord together.

It all begins this Sunday.
I can’t wait to worship with you then.
God bless.

Pastor Malinak