The Glory of Ashes

February 21, 2010 

The Glory of Ashes  "Have this mind in you that was in Christ Jesus...He emptied Himself..."  Philippians 2:5,7

This week, on Ash Wednesday, began the Lenten Season. My faith story did not begin in a liturgical religious setting. Like many of you, I had no understanding of the “what’s, why’s and when’s” of the Lenten season. I would nervously joke with my other secular friends that I was glad that I wasn’t a part of a “strict” church where you “had to give up something” for God. But I have to admit; I was more than a little intrigued by those quiet saints who didn’t share in the jokes and irreligious banter. They just went about quietly identifying with a Jesus of whom I had no knowledge or understanding. The only kind of Jesus I knew was the kind that yelling preachers promoted: the kind that threatened me with condemnation and everlasting painful judgment if I didn’t walk down an aisle and pray the “sinner’s prayer”—which, to this day, I have never found in the Scriptures. One day, when Jesus did call me to Follow Him and become His child and disciple, I found myself wanting to “give up something for Him” for I wanted to give Him everything: my whole life. That didn’t make me a believer in Lent, I still didn’t have a clue. But I did get the motivation and the mindset of identifying with this most wonderful Jesus. 

I have to admit with great embarrassment that I was so ignorant of the liturgical observance of Lent, that I about freaked out in an elevator in Pittsburgh in 1984, when 2 people got in with these black smudge marks that looked like crosses etched into their foreheads. All I could think of was “the mark of the beast!! Must be a cult!” I had never seen Catholics, Lutherans or Episcopalians really up close, at least not on Ash Wednesday. And after getting over my shock and then extreme embarrassment, I began to look into a tradition unknown to me. And I found out something important and unsettling: our beliefs and religious customs are typically far more informed by our heritage and customs than by the Word of God or leadership of the Spirit. Lent is a time to prepare our hearts for the Easter Season: Good Friday, Solemn Saturday and Easter Glory. During these next 6 weeks we will be focusing on preparing our hearts for Christ’s touch this Easter Season. How about going to our Covenant website, www.covenantlife.net, to check out the great new Easter music featured on our website? Just go to “EASTER PREP” and check on the “Resurrection Song” and it will connect you to an inspirational youtube video where you can learn some great new songs that will enrich our Covenant Family Worship this Easter. Listen and learn. Sing along. We’ll be singing them as well in our worship in the next few weeks. And check out the Lenten prayer on the front side. Jesus is worthy!

"But may it never be that I should boast, except in the Cross of Christ my Lord."  Galatians 6:14