I thought the title Ashes to Ashes would be a little cliché on Ash Wednesday, so I'm spicing it up. I was thinking about the meaning of the ashes and the idea of being from dust and returning to dust. Tomorrow, I'll get to share with the kids at Chapel, and although it's Valentine's Day and I could talk about love and how our love starts with knowing God's love, I can't help but feel a pull toward sharing about lent, Ash Wednesday, and the importance of this season. I've been wrestling for the past 24 hours about where I should start, how to explain it all, and it's not easy for me.
Growing up, my church didn't remind us that it was almost time for lent; you need to give up something. It wasn't until college that I started exploring the idea of fasting, giving up something for God, and understanding the meaning behind it all. Last night, someone asked me what I was giving up. I hadn't figured that out yet, but I told them it wouldn't be sweets, or meat, or something like that, because then it becomes a diet. Alright, my body is a temple and I should be healthy for Jesus. The motivation for me is wrong, though. I started asking what part of my life needed some work.
Plain and simple, I've never really had a prayer life. I pray in church, before meals if I'm with people (I tend to forget when I'm by myself, because I'm usually in a hurry), and when someone has a request that I need to share with God. Sunday school teachers always used to say that if Jesus is your best friend, wouldn't you want to talk to Him all the time, and share your life with Him? Now, in my defense, I feel like I lead a prayerful life and nearly every moment, I'm seeking to do ministry the way Jesus would have done it. The only difference is that Jesus was constantly separating Himself to pray to God, and that's something I just don't do.
So I'm starting. I thought 5 minutes a day would be a good commitment. The funny thing is that I started praying and God and I had a lot to catch up on. I didn't make it in 5 minutes, and I was okay with that. I enjoyed my time alone with God. When prayer is given to us like a duty, it's not fun, and we dread it. People always used to tell me that you need to read your bible and pray everyday. I took that as a chore, but it's not a chore if you don't make it one. Prayer is my time with God. It's a time to talk to God about my worries and know God's listening. Conveniently, God doesn't multi-task me like I usually do to God.
I noticed the dust on one of my cabinets this morning and didn't want to clean it off, because it represents what Ash Wednesday is about. We are dust to dust, ashes to ashes. Everything that makes this dust unique and wonderful and holy comes from God. Without God, I am merely dust; but today, I am beautiful dust, not swept away in the wind, but made perfect by God.
Growing up, my church didn't remind us that it was almost time for lent; you need to give up something. It wasn't until college that I started exploring the idea of fasting, giving up something for God, and understanding the meaning behind it all. Last night, someone asked me what I was giving up. I hadn't figured that out yet, but I told them it wouldn't be sweets, or meat, or something like that, because then it becomes a diet. Alright, my body is a temple and I should be healthy for Jesus. The motivation for me is wrong, though. I started asking what part of my life needed some work.
Plain and simple, I've never really had a prayer life. I pray in church, before meals if I'm with people (I tend to forget when I'm by myself, because I'm usually in a hurry), and when someone has a request that I need to share with God. Sunday school teachers always used to say that if Jesus is your best friend, wouldn't you want to talk to Him all the time, and share your life with Him? Now, in my defense, I feel like I lead a prayerful life and nearly every moment, I'm seeking to do ministry the way Jesus would have done it. The only difference is that Jesus was constantly separating Himself to pray to God, and that's something I just don't do.
So I'm starting. I thought 5 minutes a day would be a good commitment. The funny thing is that I started praying and God and I had a lot to catch up on. I didn't make it in 5 minutes, and I was okay with that. I enjoyed my time alone with God. When prayer is given to us like a duty, it's not fun, and we dread it. People always used to tell me that you need to read your bible and pray everyday. I took that as a chore, but it's not a chore if you don't make it one. Prayer is my time with God. It's a time to talk to God about my worries and know God's listening. Conveniently, God doesn't multi-task me like I usually do to God.
I noticed the dust on one of my cabinets this morning and didn't want to clean it off, because it represents what Ash Wednesday is about. We are dust to dust, ashes to ashes. Everything that makes this dust unique and wonderful and holy comes from God. Without God, I am merely dust; but today, I am beautiful dust, not swept away in the wind, but made perfect by God.
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