A Journey with Jesus
The Preface
Today marks the beginning of Lent, a forty day, six-week period leading up to Easter Sunday. Six weeks is forty-two days, but since Sundays were not fast days, that leaves only thirty-six fast days so four more days were added, thus Lent always begins on a Wednesday, Ash Wednesday.
The Lenten season while reflective is not morbid. Prayer, fasting, and giving to those in need are themes, but the heart of the focus is on Jesus’ journey to the cross and his taking on our dust and solving our mortal problem, our death. “From dust you came to dust you will return” (Gen. 3:19). As C.S. Lewis commented, “100 percent of us die, and the percentage cannot be increased.” Well, yes and no. You will die physically at some point, but that’s not the end. God has the last word and it is not death for those who die in Christ Jesus. A better word for Christians is departure. You depart this life for your life beyond death. The daily devotionals over the next six weeks will reflect on these truths.
It is important to understand the meaning and purpose of this season. For some people being reminded about death and having to “give something up” are their primary thoughts regarding Lent . . . and are two good reasons to think about something else. The root of the word “lent” simply means “spring” new life, buds, blossoms, the end of the long winter. Sounds more like life than death to me. Though observing a season of fasting and prayer were practiced regularly during the first centuries of the church, the days prior to Easter were initially devoted to the final preparations for those being baptized into a new life in Christ. The primary time for baptisms in the early centuries of the church was on Easter Sunday. As Christianity was made legal, by the fourth century we began to see more widespread evidence of a six-week period of preparation for Easter by the whole Christian community, with fasting, almsgiving, and prayer being key elements (Matthew 6:1-13). You see, Lent is not a Roman Catholic thing or having to give something up as many people believe. It is a time of taking spiritual inventory in our walk with Jesus as we look to him.
The heart of the Christian faith is our participation in the life, suffering, death, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus as Lord. While Advent is concerned with the final Judgment, the Incarnation, and the birth of Jesus in history, this season points us to the price paid for our redemption. During these coming days may we grow spiritually through repentance, prayer, fasting, giving, and reflecting on our walk with Christ and his incomparable demonstration of his love for all he created. We might even think of it as a spiritual spring cleaning to a degree.
A short word about the Scripture passages themselves. The Bible was written originally without chapters and verse numbers. With that in mind, I left out the verse numbers so that it reads a little differently. I find it easier to grasp the whole thought this way. I trust you will find the same. The translation I used is the New Living Translation. The music we have chosen comes from a wide variety of sources and ensembles simply reflecting the wonder and creativity of God’s handiwork. No music you hear or see is original, the composers and musicians have merely arranged the musical notes God made.
One final word, feel free to pass the link along to family, friends, and co-workers around the country and the world who may benefit from these devotionals. The link to subscribe is: sharpdevotional.com. It’s that simple and thank you for subscribing and passing the link along! Then they will receive the emails in their boxes each morning at 5:00 EST. Of course subscribing is free.
March 5, Ash Wednesday
*Be sure to read the Preface if you haven’t.
Scripture: Joel 1:1-2, 12-17
Blow the trumpet in Zion;
sound the alarm on my holy hill.
Let all who live in the land tremble,
for the day of the Lord is coming.
It is close at hand—
a day of darkness and gloom,
a day of clouds and blackness.
Like dawn spreading across the mountains
a large and mighty army comes,
such as never was in ancient times
nor ever will be in ages to come.
“Even now,” declares the Lord,
“return to me with all your heart,
with fasting and weeping and mourning.”
Rend your heart
and not your garments.
Return to the Lord your God,
for he is gracious and compassionate,
slow to anger and abounding in love,
and he relents from sending calamity.
Who knows? He may turn and relent
and leave behind a blessing—
grain offerings and drink offerings
for the Lord your God.
Blow the trumpet in Zion,
declare a holy fast,
call a sacred assembly.
Gather the people,
consecrate the assembly;
bring together the elders,
gather the children,
those nursing at the breast.
Let the bridegroom leave his room
and the bride her chamber.
Let the priests, who minister before the Lord,
weep between the portico and the altar.
Let them say, “Spare your people, Lord.
Do not make your inheritance an object of scorn,
a byword among the nations.
Why should they say among the peoples,
‘Where is their God?’”
Some Thoughts
Have you noticed how many things are bad for your health or you should be doing what you are not doing? Whatever is the best for you or your health, you are not doing it and need to change your ways. That’s called advertisement! We’re told that sugar is not good for you, so you need to get this product. You also need to drink a gallon of water a day. Some form of cholesterol is good for you but there is also bad cholesterol. Some forms of fat are beneficial and other forms are detrimental. Bottom line: if you do this and this, you’ll live longer. According to yearly studies, the five leading causes of death in 2024 were: heart disease, cancer, accidents, respiratory diseases and strokes. While I’m all for good health and living as long as possible, I have my own unofficial study as to the three leading causes of death. Number three is disease, old age is number two, and the leading cause of death, (tada!!) . . . is life! Life brings on death 100% of the time without fail. But good news! There is a cure. The season of Lent addresses the problem.
On Ash Wednesday we are reminded at least once a year of the ultimate statistic and this absolute truth, you will die. The actual number of deaths per 1,000 people is 1,000. The passage we read in Joel gives warning that the final day on earth does come, but also that life continues after death. Life in this world is not all there is. Joel urges his people and us to repent and turn to the Lord while there is still time. “Tear your hearts, not your garments.” One of the demonstrable signs of repenting and mourning was the tearing of garments (E.g. Esther 4:1). The prophet gives an impassioned plea for his people to turn their hearts to the Lord. The Lord wants your whole heart. That is also our plea as we begin this season of Lent. Let us come to our Savior with pliable, humble hearts, tuned to the fragile nature of this life and to the reality of our own mortality. Let go of anything that would hold us back. In the words of C.S. Lewis, “Do not live these days for things in our life that will end when you do.” Praise be to Christ who assures us of life everlasting when we do in fact return to dust on this earth. For the believer, unlike the Garden of Eden, this time our dust will rise from the grave to be transformed into a glorified body and soul which lives forever having been redeemed by the blood of the Lamb. We’ll say more about Lent in the coming days.
Music: “Ye People Rend Your Hearts and If with All Your Hearts” Andrew Haji
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1fyD4WIsXzw A beautiful setting of this passage from Joel in Mendelssohn’s magnificent oratorio “Elijah.”
Prayer:
Almighty God, you have created us out of the dust of the earth: Grant that ashes may be to us a sign of our mortality and penitence, that we may remember that it is only by your gracious gift that we are given everlasting life through your Son Jesus Christ. Lord God, you hate nothing you have made and forgive the sins of all who are penitent: Create and make in us new and contrite hearts, that we, worthily lamenting our sins and acknowledging our wretchedness, may obtain of you, the God of all mercy, perfect remission and forgiveness; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
―Book of Common Prayer, Ash Wednesday Collect