By Matthew F. Leighty
Executive Director

Over my many years of visiting people throughout the church, a moment remains with me and drives my passion for the work of our mission. In the quiet dining hall of a senior living center, I found myself in conversation with an elderly woman. Her eyes, glistening with both joy and sorrow, hinted at a depth of life experiences. As we spoke, she shared the weight of recent loss, her tearful eyes betraying the lingering ache of grief. Her children and grandchildren didn’t visit her anymore. She had questions, moments when she wondered why God still had her on this earth, especially in the face of the pain and loneliness she carried.

With vulnerability, she unfolded her journey—a tapestry woven with the threads of joy and sorrow. As she shared her story, I recalled the words from Isaiah 25:8-9 (ESV), “He will swallow up death forever, and the Lord God will wipe away tears from all faces. It will be said on that day, ‘Behold, this is our God; we have waited for him, that he might save us. This is the Lord; we have waited for him; let us be glad and rejoice in his salvation.’”

It is in moments like these that God’s promises are woven into our lives. The anticipation of a day when God would fulfill His promise, eradicating the sting of death and wiping away every tear, provides us with the ultimate source of comfort and hope.

As we journey through this Lenten season, heading toward Easter, the timeless message of Isaiah rings forth with the promise of eternal joy. It invites us to await the day when grief will transform into gladness, and salvation will be our eternal song. In the midst of life’s complexities, Worship Anew has become a beacon, illuminating the path with a message of hope and redemption for all who seek solace in the arms of our loving Savior.

Amid this Lenten journey, the ministry of Worship Anew brings the message of hope and comfort we have in our God. Through the Worship Anew television program, daily devotions, and our care package ministry, lives are touched with the message of Christ’s love. As we reflect on Isaiah's prophetic words, Worship Anew is a channel through which God’s promise of eternal joy is shared. The ministry resonates the message of hope, providing comfort and inspiration during Lent and beyond.

In a world where hope can be elusive, the Holy Spirit calls us during this Lenten season to embrace the enduring hope found in God’s promise of salvation, magnificently fulfilled through the sacrifice and resurrection of Christ. As we journey through Lent toward the triumphant culmination of Easter, may our hearts resound with profound gratitude for He is the Lord we have long awaited; indeed, let us be glad and rejoice in His salvation.

“He will swallow up death forever, and the Lord God will wipe away tears from all faces. It will be said on that day, ‘Behold, this is our God; we have waited for him, that he might save us. This is the Lord; we have waited for him; let us be glad and rejoice in his salvation.’”

Isaiah 25:8-9