Title: The Divine Embrace: Honoring the Forgotten (06/16/'24) -Message

Title: The Divine Embrace: Honoring the Forgotten Dear Friends, I hope this message finds you well. I wanted to share with you a reflection that has been deeply resonating with me lately. In a world where shadows loom large, God bestows honor upon the least, the last, and the lost. These are the souls wandering in the margins, often overlooked and forgotten. Yet, in the divine narrative, they are cherished, embraced by a love that knows no bounds. "The time is fulfilled," echoes the voice of the Savior, His words a balm for weary hearts, "the kingdom of God is near" (Mark 1:15). There is an urgency in His call: repent, believe in the gospel. It is an invitation to transformation, a beckoning towards a life infused with grace. The Holy Spirit waits to descend, to fill the voids within us. We, the hungry, the parched, are summoned to come, eat, and taste what is good for the spirit. There is a famine not of bread, but of spirit, an aching emptiness that only divine nourishment can fill. The gospel and the Spirit, inseparable in their essence, intertwine like threads in a grand tapestry. They endure together, offering a sanctuary for the soul. In their union, despair dissipates, hope flourishes. God, in His infinite wisdom, lifts the lowly, raises the humble, while the proud falter under the weight of their hubris. For it is the least, the last, and the lost for whom He came. In His gaze, there is no condemnation, only redemption. His love transforms, making new what was once broken. As we heed His call, let our hearts be stirred by the eternal truth of His word, by the promise that in Him, we are never alone, never forgotten, always cherished. And so, we stand at the threshold of grace, invited to partake in a divine feast. Here, in the embrace of the gospel and the Spirit, we find our true home, our place of belonging. The least, the last, the lost – in His kingdom, we are honored, we are found. May these words bring you comfort and hope, reminding you of the infinite love and grace that surrounds us. Blessings, Pastor Steven G. Lee (June 16, 2024)