AWAKEN: A River Region Easter Gathering

I can't write about politics this month. My heart just isn't in it right now, and I honestly don't know when it will be again. Almost all of the current “debate” involves anger and accusations lobbied back and forth, and nothing is resolved in that atmosphere. I recently described myself to a group as a "recovering political junkie," and little did I know at that time just how irrelevant politics would soon become.

Those readers who know me are aware that our family recently lost one of our younger members, my 24-year-old nephew, in a tragic automobile accident. I don't share this publicly to elicit sympathy, but I do share it because our loss, along with other events of this past year, have awakened my heart and soul to what matters most in this world in which we live, far beyond the realm of politics.

Eternal life.

The knowledge that our nephew knew Christ, the One who came to save all from sin and reconcile us to the Father, is our comfort right now. While we grieve our loss, we want more than ever for those who don’t have that assurance to receive it right now by accepting Christ as their Savior. And as that hope of eternal life will be celebrated soon on Resurrection Sunday, I want to take this space to personally invite the readers of my column to an event that is the culmination of many prayers for our city.

As you begin to make your plans for Resurrection Sunday, I want to encourage all of the readers of The Alabama Gazette to include a city-wide Easter Sunset Worship event at the Montgomery Riverwalk Stadium, beginning at 5 pm and concluding at 6:15 pm.

There is so much in our world that is designed to separate us from each other, as well as from our Father God. It is the prayer of many that this Awaken event will draw the citizens of our city and the River Region together in unity to not only worship our Risen Savior, but to also remember the entirety of the Old Testament scripture:

“IF My people, who are called by My name, will humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, THEN I will hear from heaven and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.” (2 Chronicles 7:14)