Ash Wednesday

Today is Ash Wednesday, which marks the beginning of the Lenten season that moves us into Easter. Ash Wednesday derives its name from the practice of priests placing ashes in the form of a cross on the believers forehead to symbolize repentance. In the Bible, ashes are typically used to express deep mourning and sorrow and in this season reflect the sorrow of the believer over sin.
The Lenten season is a time of preparation through prayer, penitence, and self-denial leading up to the celebration of the Resurrection of Jesus.

Typically, when people think of Lent they think of giving up something. Some give up "guilty pleasures" such as television or sweets. It is easy to see this season as one of deprivation, but the giving up is not the end goal. The end goal a deeper fellowship with Jesus and a bringing of life and light into the lives of others. We do not "give up" simply to deprive ourselves; we give up in order to step into something greater. We give up in order to give. In Isaiah 58, God confronts us on our idea of fasting. He says in verse 5,
"Will the fast I choose be like this: A day for a person to deny himself, to bow his head like a reed, and to spread out sackcloth and ashes? Will you call this a fast and a day acceptable to the LORD?"

He questions our practice of fasting as a turning in on one's self. Fasting was never meant to terminate on itself. He tells us the point of fasting in verses 6-7 when he says,
"Isn't the fast I choose:
To break the chains of wickedness, to untie the ropes of the yoke, to set the oppressed free,
and to tear off every yoke? Is it not to share your bread with the hungry, to bring the poor and homeless into your house, to clothe the naked when you see him, and to not ignore your own flesh."
We are to fast so that we are more free to join God in what He is doing through His Kingdom on earth.

This season marks a time of remembrance. The idea of remembrance is sown heavily into the fabric of this season. All throughout Scripture the Lord is prodding us to remember, remember, remember. In order to help the body remember and press into this time Grace has created a 20 minute online Ash Wednesday experience. You can join the body in remembering here.