Beauty for Ashes

The season of Lent is the 40-day journey (not counting Sundays) leading up to Easter (April 5).

The first day of Lent is known as ‘Ash Wednesday’, a day of repentance.

The Bible doesn’t mention Ash Wednesday per say, but there is a ‘tradition’ of donning ashes as a sign of penitence that predates the birth of Jesus.

Many followers of Jesus will receive ‘ashes’ on their forehead or hand (shaped in the form of a cross).

Josh Kurtz, co-pastor of Assurance Church in Huntersville, reflects that Ash Wednesday reminds us that…

There is real hurt, real pain, and real suffering in this world.

Life is short and we have all fallen short.

We don’t get a mulligan, and we can’t save ourselves.

We are in need of repair.

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. His name is Jesus.

Thanks be to God—the only One – who makes beautiful things out of dust (ashes).

Through repentance, may our walk, our relationship, with Christ come with a spiritual ‘realignment’.

More of Him and less of me.

-Verne

“Create in me a pure heart, O God

and renew a steadfast spirit within me” Psalm 51:10 NIV