Beauty for Ashes

In many church traditions, today is called Ash Wednesday, and marks the start of 40 days of fasting known as Lent, when we remember the 40 days Jesus spent in the wilderness being tempted by the Devil, and overcoming him by not only the Word of God, but by His humility and utter dependence on His Father.

Many believers, and even people outside the Church, think of Lent as a time to show their identification with Christ in His time of temptation by giving up chocolate (ouch!), smoking, television etc. In the Church of England, the foreheads of those who attend the Ash Wednesday services are marked with ashes made from the Palm Crosses of the previous Easter season....if people still have their crosses after nearly a year!

I have always felt something in me rebelling against this imposition of ashes....I know that is good to be reminded that we have come from dust, and to dust must return (painfully obvious to me as my close friend has recently died). But on the other hand, does the Lord not promise to give us BEAUTY for ashes in His word (Isaiah 61), even a CROWN of beauty for ashes?

I feel the Lord is prompting me not so much as to give up stuff for Lent as to spend MORE time in His presence, receiving His love and meditating with thanksgiving about the complete victory Jesus won over Satan not only in the wilderness, but ultimately by giving His life for us on the cross.

The thought also occurred to me that tradition has it that the Lord received 40 stripes minus one at the Roman whipping post, and there are 40 days in Lent. Every wound Jesus took during His passion was for YOU and ME, for our healing and restoration - and I hope to share a few more specific thoughts about this during Lent, as the Holy Spirit enables me.