Weekly Devotion
Today is Ash Wednesday, the beginning of the season of Lent. Lent is a season of the Church Year when Christians reflect on the suffering and death of Jesus during the 40 days leading up to Easter. The Sundays during lent are not counted in the 40 days, so the season of Lent begins on the 7th Wednesday before Easter, called "Ash Wednesday." The day gets its name because of the custom of the imposition of ashes, shown here:
Christians would go to church on Ash Wednesday and use the time to reflect on Christ's sacrifice on thier behalf. Traditionally, the palm branches from the year before are burned and the ashes used for the Ash Wednesday ceremony. Many churches continue this custom to this day.
Whether or not you use this custom, it is cause for reflection. Curious how a "dirty forehead" can give one pause to consider how one has come to a "clean soul." 2 Corinthians 5:21 teaches us “God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.”
This verse beautifully summarizes Christ's loving work to save you. Treasure it. Give careful consideration to what God has done for you and how he accomplished it. This season, albeit reflective, need not be dour and depressing. Get the most from this season by plumbing the depths of God's love for you in all that Christ did to rescue you from helplessness, death, and a futureless destiny. God bless you today, dear sister--dear brother in the faith.
God bless you this week!
Blessings on your week!
--Pastor Dan