Ash Wednesday

This morning I met my niece and Beth at St. Francis for the 7 a.m. Ash Wednesday service. I had been looking forward to this since last night - it felt like it was going to be a special time with God, and it truly was that way. For me, this was the perfect way to start the Lenton season. The opening verse was from Joel 2: 12-18--rend your hearts, not your garments. We had studied this verse in the Queen Esther Beth Moore bible study as well, and it captured my attention. Rend your hearts . . . we can rend our hearts before God, and His grace covers all that implies. The 2nd reading was from 2 Corinthians 5:20 - 6:2--"for our sake He made Him to be sin who did not know sin, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him". That really brings it home, doesn't it! The message was on how Jesus thirsts for each one of us. He thirsts for each one of us . . . and we in turn thirst for Him. He talked about how what we choose to give up for Lent points us to that thirst, and Jesus is always ready and willing to fulfill that longing. This is only my 2nd Ash Wed. service - I went to one at the Episcopalian church several years ago which was in the evening. This is the first time I'm wearing my ashes all day. I have to say, it feels like there is a HUGE black spot on my forehead, but, I guess that's partly the point isn't it? I am a huge black spot, excepting for God's saving grace. Blessings on your day today, and all the days between now and Easter. In the Amplified version of the Bible, after "Selah", it always says [pause and think calmly of that]. Hope you can find time in your day to pause and think calmly of what this season will mean to you.