Ash Wednesday 2019

Yet even now, says the Lord, return to me with all your hearts, with fasting, with weeping, and with sorrow; tear your hearts and not your clothing. Return to the Lord your God, for he is merciful and compassionate, very patient, full of faithful love, and ready to forgive (Joel 2:12-13 CEB)

Today is a new beginning. A new season. And anytime we step into something new, we can feel vulnerable. We know our own brokenness. This is a season where we journey through the wilderness of our hearts and souls to the heart of God.

This is a time that calls for us to walk carefully and to think deeply. And if we are to make progress on our pilgrim's path, then we must be willing to lay bare all that is hidden, buried, or repressed inside of ourselves.

This path is uncomfortable. But if we want to move closer to God, then it is a path we must take.

Lent doesn't make sense. It's counter-intuitive. We begin with death and move towards life. Today, many Christians will go to church services and have ashes placed on their foreheads. Those ashes represent death because during this season we are declaring our attempt to die to those things that cause death--pride, envy, greed, fear, doubt, cynicism, and every other thing that separates us from God.

. . . for dust you are and to dust you will return (Genesis 3:19 NIV)

The ashes remind us that we are mortal. One day we will return to dust. We are reminded that life is precious. Life is short. The ashes challenge us to make the most of our lives.

While Lent begins with ashes, the journey doesn't end there. We follow this season to lead us back to the Holy One who formed us from the dust.

The prophet Joel calls us to return to God with fasting, with weeping, and with sorrow--even when things seem hopeless, even when we're afraid, even when the night seems too dark--because that is when we need God the most.

I believe it's also very important to note that this is individual work we do in community. We need each other. We need community. We cannot leave any heart behind--not the old ones, not the young ones, not the hard ones, not the broken ones, not the empty ones, not the full ones--because every heart matters to God.

God will not leave us wandering and directionless. Each Sunday we hear Scriptures that signal another step toward home, toward life, to the new life that only occurs when we are brave enough to rend our hearts.

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