Genesis 3:17-19 New American Standard Bible 1995
17 Then to Adam He said, “Because you have listened to the voice of your wife, and have eaten from the tree about which I commanded you, saying, ‘You shall not eat from it’;
Cursed is the ground because of you;
In [a]toil you will eat of it
All the days of your life.
18 “Both thorns and thistles it shall grow for you;
And you will eat the [b]plants of the field;
19 By the sweat of your face
You will eat bread,
Till you return to the ground,
Because from it you were taken;
For you are dust,
And to dust you shall return.”
The Word of God for the Children of God.
Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen, amen.
As Christians, we gather together regularly to study God’s Word, and seek to grow and mature in our faith.
Each time we come into God’s presence, we draw closer to Him and experience His love and guidance.
The Holy Spirit fills our souls with the joys of heaven as we surrender ourselves to God.
Death is an inevitable part of life, but many people avoid discussing it.
However, as believers, we have the assurance of salvation through Christ, which removes the fear of judgment.
We should share this hope with others and live each day with gratitude for the precious gift of life.
Understanding the brevity of our existence motivates us to do good and serve others.
What is Ash Wednesday?
Ash Wednesday is a day that many Christians, including Catholics, observe.
It gained more attention after the release of the movie “The Passion of Christ” in 2004.
On Ash Wednesday, Catholics go to church and receive a cross-shaped mark on their foreheads made from ashes.
These ashes are made by burning palm branches from the previous year’s Good Friday service.
Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of Lent, which is the 40-day period leading up to Easter.
Sundays are not included in this count because they are days of celebration for Jesus’ resurrection.
While Ash Wednesday is not specifically commanded in the Bible, it is a time for Christians to seriously reflect on Jesus’ sacrifice, dedicate themselves unto God.
How do we observe Ash Wednesday?
During Ash Wednesday services, ashes are placed on the forehead as a sign of repentance.
The words spoken during this ritual come from Genesis 3:19:
“By the sweat of your brow you will eat your food until you return to the ground, since from it you were taken; for dust you are and to dust you will return.”
This stark reminder of our mortality encourages us to live our lives in a way that glorifies God. In addition to the imposition of ashes, Christians also participate in communion, symbolizing Jesus’ broken body and shed blood.
What spiritual value does Ash Wednesday have for us?
Ash Wednesday serves as a stark reminder of our forever need for God’s grace, mercy and forgiveness.
It prompts us to reflect on important aspects of life, such as our unique creation by God, our undeniable tendency to sin, and our eventual inevitable, death.
These realities should lead us to focus our minds on the Lord and seek a deeper relationship with Him.
By acknowledging our mortality and dependence on God, we can find inner peace and strength.
Ash Wednesday helps us prepare for physical death and embrace spiritual life in heaven.
Ash Wednesday is a holy day that signifies the beginning of Lent.
It marks our entry into a season of spiritual preparation for Holy Week, which culminates in Easter.
Any march toward the redeeming work of Savior Christ must begin with a recognition of our need for his grace—and that reminder is Ash Wednesday.
The day affirms that we are dust, as ashes are literally spread in a cross on our foreheads. The cross represents Jesus and how he has redeemed us. We are encouraged to seek repentance with humble hearts and prepare for his gift.
Lenten Journey: Our Decisions Carry Consequences
Decisions carry consequences.
If you decide to work hard at your job and contribute to the mission of your workplace, that will bring consequences.
You might be promoted.
You might wind up earning more than your colleagues.
Your boss might dump all sorts of extra work on you with no pay because, after all, you’re a hard worker; that could be a consequence.
Your boss’s decision would bring its own consequence.
Maybe you would set up an appointment to talk about this extra work with no pay.
Maybe you would become sullen and withdrawn.
Maybe you would feel taken advantage of and start looking for a different job where your work ethic is rewarded.
Whatever decision you make, that decision would bring consequences.
Decisions bring consequences.
The decision to sin brings consequences.
That might sound obvious, but an astounding number of people believe that sin brings no meaningful consequences.
Much of the society in which you live revolves around the belief that sin brings no consequence.
This is why we promote greed.
This is why we train our young people in seduction.
Our culture promotes sin because we don’t believe we will suffer any real negative consequences for our participation in it.
Even we who believe, in theory, that sin brings consequences struggle mightily to come to terms with these consequences when we do, in fact, sin.
We squirm against the reality of consequences like a child in trouble.
We would be far wiser to own up to what is obvious: sin brings sad consequences.
Job 1:20-21 New American Standard Bible 1995
20 Then Job arose and tore his robe and shaved his head, and he fell to the ground and worshiped. 21 He said,
“Naked I came from my mother’s womb,
And naked I shall return there.
The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away.
Blessed be the name of the Lord.”
Tonight, as we pray upon sins “consequences” as we gather to celebrate Ash Wednesday, let us worship in the hope we have in Jesus Christ, Savior and Lord.
In the name of God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit,
Let us Pray,
Merciful God, you called us forth from the dust of the earth; you claimed us for Christ in the waters of baptism. Look upon us as we enter these Forty Days bearing the mark of ashes, and bless the journey through the desert of Lent to the font of rebirth. As we remember our mortality and seek penitence today, we know you to be a God who is rich in forgiveness and abounding in steadfast love, love that culminates in eternal life with you. Guide our steps this Lent, so we might find greater fulfillment in your promises and better serve others with a heart that’s reflective of you. Amen
Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen, amen.
Loving God, Living God, Loving Hope, Living Hope, Loving Living Life His Way! "Many things are possible for the person who has hope. Even more is possible for the person who has faith. And still more is possible for the person who knows how to love. But everything is possible for the person who practices all three virtues." - Brother Lawrence (1605-1691), Practicing the Presence of God (1692). 