Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of Lent—the 40 day journey with Jesus to the cross.   Many followers of Jesus will receive ‘ashes’ on their forehead or hand (shaped in the form of a cross).

Ash Wednesday often leads to a variety of questions. So, here is some of the why behind Ash Wednesday…

+ Ash Wednesday reminds us there is real hurt, pain, and suffering in this world—within us and all around us.

+ Ash Wednesday reminds us that life is short and we have fallen short. We don’t get a mulligan, and we can’t save ourselves. We are in need of repair.

+ Ash Wednesday reminds us of Jesus’ suffering, death, and resurrection. In many ways, the ashes are an invitation to a different pattern of living and loving. We are a cross-shaped people–called to love God (vertical) and love our neighbor as ourselves (horizontal).

+ Ash Wednesday invites us to examine our relationship with God. Are there things I need to give up, take on, or adjust in order to grow in my love of the One who loves me?

+ Whether we know it or not–in our hurts, broken relationships, bad habits, griefs, losses, frustrations, & selfish desires—ashes abound. Yet, there is One who can work in, though, and beyond the chaos & confusion of ashes…

Thanks be to God—the One who makes beautiful things out of dust.

–Josh Kurtz

Assurance Church in Huntersville (north of Charlotte)