Growing up Evangelical Methodist in the Philippines, I really never paid much attention to Ash Wednesday or to the whole length of the Lenten Season. We observe the Holy Week with "The Last Seven Words" of Jesus on the Cross on Good Friday. We have a Sunrise Service that everyone looks forward to on Easter Sunday. But that's about it.
Coming to live here and attending a Methodist Church for a few years, I have learned to value the observance of the 40-day Lenten Season beginning with an Ash Wednesday Worship Service. I have paid more attention to the Lent with this rhythm of natural season in the Church Calendar. Yes, the church I attended before do practice the symbolic ashes over the forehead. My catholic friends and families, you heard it right, I did experience ash on my forehead. Most of you may think that Ash Wednesday was only practiced by Roman Catholics, it is not so.
Ash Wednesday is not prescribed in the Bible, then why practice it? For some, as the beginning of Lent this becomes a significant day to refocus and start a season of self-examination. Remember when Jesus spent 40 days in the wilderness to fast and pray? This became the model for the 40-days of Lent culminating to what we call the Holy Week. Lent is really a 48 day stretch if we count the weekends, but then we can dedicate the weekends as feast days instead.
Ash Wednesday is the official start of Lent and a lot of denominations both Evangelicals and not, are practicing the ashes over their forehead. Do you know why is this so? Do we really understand the meaning of the ashes? In Genesis 3:19b (NKJV), we were directly reminded that "For dust you are, And to dust you shall return.” It is a humbling reminder for us that when Adam and Eve were sent out of the Garden of Eden for sinning against GOD, thus making us sinners from birth, this was one of man's downfall: our human body's death. And so for me, Ash Wednesday whether we do the symbolic ashes over our forehead or not, I am reminded to come to the Lord with all humility and a repentant heart; to examine my heart and surrender my sins and sorrows to the Lord in confession, as this is what the season is about (not that we should only do this during the Lent).
Did you know that the ashes used on Ash Wednesday come from the burned palms from the previous year's Palm Sunday? Just a little trivia, just in case you haven't heard.
Why do we observe Lent? Why do YOU observe Lent? Or why not? The whole 40-days of Lent is nothing new. History has it that fasting and preparation for the celebration of Resurrection Sunday has been going on since the time of the apostles and that Lent is not particular to any denomination.
Some of us relate Lent to "giving up something" in order to do a sacrifice for the sake of the season. In the Philippines, Lent is a colorful event for a lot of Catholic devotees who do their annual penitence (e.g. walking miles and miles carrying a big, wooden cross, beating themselves up with something like rubber to purposely induce pain; for some they go extreme and have themselves nailed in a cross literally). How do you observe Lent? Is giving up something for the length of the 40-days enough to show that you have observed it? What is really your heart's purpose and intentions for doing your sacrifice? Why do you feel you need to give up something, do a penitence for Lent? Are you doing this to ask for forgiveness of your sins? Is Lent and giving up something becoming an obligation for you?
Having immersed myself more in the intentional study of God's Word and continuing to grow in my spiritual disciplines, Ash Wednesday as the start of LENT seems to tug me differently. I am looking at it more purposely. And so, I reflect and ask myself on what Lent means for my life and my spiritual growth? How about you, what does observance of Lent look like for you?
As I was listening to a podcast last week about Lent and how we as Jesus followers are observing it (in different ways of course), I was drawn to how Raechel and Amanda from "She Reads Truth" expounded on this topic with Annie F Downs on her show "That Sounds Fun". Lent clearly is a long and heavy season (not because Jesus dies every Holy Week and rises up again every Easter Sunday), I think it is heavy because this is the time in the Church calendar wherein people do a lot of self-examination. As we take a good look at our sins that cause our separation from God, we also take time to praise and thank God for the sacrifice His only son, Jesus Christ made to save us all. They pointed out a few things on what Lent meant for us as Jesus followers and I want to share them with you all-
Lent is a great time to pause and re-evaluate ourselves.
It reminds us of our mortality, that we are sinful people by nature and flawed human beings at that.
We need a Savior. We all need a Savior.
Take time to look to the cross and solemnly recall the reasons of the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Allow the Holy Spirit to convict us
When we fast, we are acknowledging that more than bread, we need more of God's Word.***
Asheritah Ciuciu on her Lent Devotional said this: "Lent itself will not bring you closer to God. But in the hands of the Heavenly Father, Lent becomes an invitation to uncover the love of Jesus, in a far greater way than we had ever imagine." ["Uncovering the Love of Jesus: A Lent Devotional"]
I agree with Asheritah when she mentioned on her devotional that Lent is really a somber season, a heavy one at that. As I have said above, it is a time wherein we reflect our weakness and look up to our One True God in reverence and surrender to Him and acknowledge that Jesus life, death and resurrection is our only hope for salvation. Yes, this is the time we uncover all our sins and confess them to God, but Lent's focus is not on our sins, neither is it on what we can literally do (good works, sacrifice, penitence, obligatory religious traditions) to atone for our sins....but instead, Lent is reflecting on the cross- the sacrifice that Jesus did for us. Jesus sacrifice was not just his death- it was His life, death and resurrection. This season is all about Jesus' great love for us.
In her devotional, she also pointed out that as we go through Lent we should also savor this great love that God has shown us that He sent His only son for our salvation. If you have Jesus in your life as your Lord and Savior then you have been saved! You are redeemed! Doing Lent is also extending God's love to others and showing sacrificial love should not be for the reason of earning God's favor, it should be a response to what Jesus has done for us! We should be extending love to others in gratefulness.
"This edition of "Seek God for the City" is designed to re-ignite desires for Christ that may have gone dormant, so that our hope in Christ and His kingdom will rise again." -WayMakers
This Lent, I am dedicated to "Praying More, Praying More For and Praying More With". As Jesus prayed and fast for 40 days, I will try and do my best to be PRAYING MORE through the "Seek GOD" prayer guide, with a dedicated time each day and a focus scripture and prayer too.
I will be PRAYING MORE FOR specific groups of people in need and countries chosen for each day. The Prayer Guide provides us everyday with prayer focus and Old and New Testament verses that helps us pray more purposely. PRAYING MORE WITH other believers united through the same focus of prayer everywhere in the world. This Prayer Guide was encouraged to be used individually or as a group by our Pastor. Whether we use this alone or in groups (may it be small or big) we are assured that we will be praying for the same scripture, same countries, same prayer focus and same prayer need.
Through this Prayers of Biblical Hope, we are also taught and walked through how to PRAY THE SCRIPTURE. I have learned recently that it is more powerful to UTTER the SCRIPTURE in our prayers. This is something that me and my Little Man are trying to learn and practice this year. Five days into this prayer guide, it is already changing and blessing my prayer life in strides.
I therefore encourage each one of you to do this, join me and many others doing this intentional and purposeful 40-day prayer for the city and seek God through the scriptures and prayers. It is not too late to start and join today. Make your Lent more intentional not for any other reasons but all for the glory of GOD.
This first week of Seeking God's face, the Scripture focus is on PSALM 24....
"The earth is the LORD’s and the fullness thereof, the world and those who dwell therein, for he has founded it upon the seas and established it upon the rivers.
Who shall ascend the hill of the LORD? And who shall stand in his holy place? He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not lift up his soul to what is false and does not swear deceitfully. He will receive blessing from the LORD and righteousness from the God of his salvation. Such is the generation of those who seek him, who seek the face of the God of Jacob. Selah
Lift up your heads, O gates! And be lifted up, O ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in. Who is this King of glory? The LORD, strong and mighty, the LORD, mighty in battle! Lift up your heads, O gates! And lift them up, O ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in. Who is this King of glory? The LORD of hosts, he is the King of glory! Selah"
I leave you today with this Psalm to ponder and praise our Father God above through this Scripture. May we spend Lent in prayer and in the Scripture so that we can draw closer to God each day.
#MySundayThoughts #ObservingLent #AshWednesday #SeekGODintheCity2020 #ThatSoundsFunPodcast #SheReadsTruth #UncoveringTheLoveofJesusBook
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