Today, in many churches around the world, a peculiar thing is happening. People are leaving services with a mark on their forward. A cross written with ashes.
I’ve never been to an Ash Wednesday service and don’t claim to know all the theological aspects of the practice. But I know it’s a time of emptying oneself. A time of sorrow over the cause of Christ’s death:
My sin.
A few years ago, God showed me that there is a rhythm to His days.
Just as He created the seasons, Fall, Winter, Spring, Summer, there are seasons to our walk with Him. Christmas and Easter are not the only holy-days worth celebrating.
I began learning about “ordinary days” - which aren’t ordinary at all. I saw that each moment, each day, is sacred when we invite God to be actively involved.
This isn’t easy with the lives we have and the culture in which we live. It takes attention and a measure of discipline. This is where observing Lent is beneficial.
Focusing on our need for God’s forgiveness and remembering the great love of God toward us, poured out through Jesus’ death on the cross, is the catalyst for spiritual growth.
Last year I wrote a devotional, Journey to the Cross, focusing on the Psalms of Ascent and the pilgrim’s journey to Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover. It focused on many aspects of our spiritual journey: Repentance, God’s presence, His protection, God’s mercy, God’s help, His goodness, and His sovereignty.
These twice-weekly devotionals were informative and edifying. But at some point, we need to set aside studying and act on what we’ve already learned.
"But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror; for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was." (James 1:22-24)
The forty days leading up to Easter is the perfect time to practice obedience. So this year my posts will be focused on three key areas of Christian obedience: Fasting, Prayer, and Giving.
I’ll be sharing what the Bible says about these three disciplines and offer examples of how we can make them a recurring part of our lives. These aren’t easy or comfortable topics. But as the Apostle John tells us, “If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them.” (John 13:17)
I hope you’ll join me. But more than that, I pray you’ll invite God to be an active part of your life.