Ash Wednesday Devotional

Ash Wednesday Scriptures:

Amos 5:6-15 and Joel 2:12-17

Psalm 51 or Psalm 103

Hebrews 12:1-14 and 2 Corinthians 5:20b-6:10

Gospel : Matthew 6:1-6, 16-21; or Luke 18:9-14

Ash Wednesday, the Start of Lent

On Ash Wednesday and throughout Lent, it's time to take stock of truths about ourselves that don't sit well in our stomachs. There's one truth in particular that leaves the people today's world most uneasy: the universe does not revolve around you. Psalm 103:14, like Ecclesiastes 3:20, reminds us of what we started as. Psalm 51 says that we've become botched up. Amos writes about the two-faced trickery of his generation. Our self-obsessed era is no different. We're not good. We were made very good, but we keep mucking it up. Because you're not all that good, God demands that you be truthful about it. God says 'deal with it'. (After all, God did; look at that cross.) Jesus call on all people to be at least as spiritual as we seem, instead of seeming more spiritual than we are.

Many of us turn to religious behavior in order to deal with it, but alas. There's no magical solution. Even by doing good things, you can't 'do' your way around it.

• not by wearing your forehead ashes for an extra-long time like a badge of holiness;
• not by doing a Lenten fast so that others see how holy you are;
• not by taking the role of Simon the Cyrene in the stations of the Cross, so others can see you bearing a holy weight;
• not by 'going Celtic' to be devotionally 'hip';
• not by writing Lenten devotionals for the Web, where thousands can ooh and aaah over your supposed 'wisdom';
• not by copping Francis of Assisi's dress code;
• not by crossing yourself so often that you'll develop carpal tunnel;
• not by name-dropping the Desert Fathers;
• not by copious blog-journaling throughout Lent to draw the instant-message crowd;
• not by chanting Gregorian throughout the work day;
• not by proving how long you can wear sackcloth without scratching;
• not by showing off the wear holes in your prayer shawl and the dog-ears in your Bible;
• not by being the first on your block to go through the entire Easter Vigil in worship at the altar.

The God who sees all isn't fooled for a second. What does He say? 'You've got your reward now -- the attention, the 15 minutes of fame. But that's all.' Those who seek to be treated highly will be brought down, and their deeds turn to ash. Those who get real about their humble place before God and others will be treated highly. A simple, helpful rule: if you love the Jesus of the cross and of the empty tomb, then don't draw attention to yourself or boast about how good you are - draw it to Jesus by actually following Him.

It would be a clear witness to others if we were that way. So what are you waiting for?

Father, please help me to remember who I am. And please help burn into me the truth that I will die, and Your Son already has -- and He shows me that death is not the end of it. Amen.

Bob Longman