Sunday 15 March 2026

Following Jesus Toward Easter – Lent 2026

The Cost of Discipleship

As we continue our journey of Following Jesus toward Easter, the past ten days have been particularly full for the Auva’a household.  On the family side,  Enosa received the sad news that a cousin in Wellington had passed away. As a result, a planned family reunion in Sydney over the weekend was postponed, as relatives instead travelled to gather for the funeral on Thursday.

At the same time, church ministry has also been especially busy, with several meetings falling within the same period. With a number of members away, the Elders and Board of Managers met on Tuesday and Wednesday evenings this week. In addition, I attended a Presbyterian Property meeting in Christchurch.

Yet beneath the busyness of family life and church ministry, and the unexpected turns of the week, I am reminded of something deeper on this Lenten path: God’s mercies are new every morning. Even in moments of concern, change, and sorrow, we continue to experience His faithful care and love, gently enabling us to move forward one day at a time as we follow Jesus toward the hope of Easter.

Week 5 of our journey focuses on the theme “The Cost of Discipleship.” The daily readings this week encourage us to reflect on Jesus’ call to follow Him with wholehearted commitment, learning to trust God, surrender our own plans, and carry the responsibilities that come with walking in Christ’s way. While discipleship may involve sacrifice, these readings remind us that walking with Christ leads us deeper into God’s grace and draws us ever closer to the hope and promise of Easter.

If you have been following the reading plan over these weeks, I encourage you to continue faithfully through Week 5 and into Week 6 as we approach the final stages of the journey toward Easter. If you haven’t started, it’s not too late to begin the readings, they are there to help us all reflect, pray, and walk together as we keep our eyes on Jesus. May God’s living and faithful Word refresh our hope, strengthen our faith, and lead each of us closer to Christ as we journey together toward the joy of Easter.