"...I am nothing but dust and ashes."
(Genesis 18:27)
A wise rabbi of ages past suggested that each of us should carry two slips of paper in our pockets. On one should be written, "I am but dust and ashes." On the other, "For me the world was created." From time to time each of us should reach into one pocket or the other. The secret of living a balanced life comes from knowing when to reach into each pocket.
Today Lent begins - we call this 'Ash Wednesday'. It is the 40-day period leading up to Good Friday when we remember Christ's death on the Cross. Typically it is a time to look inward and reflect on the state of our souls. It is an opportunity for greater humility, disciplined prayer, self-denial and sacrifice. It is a time to consider on a deeper level the greatest mystery of the universe:
"While we were yet sinners, Christ died for us."
(Romans 5:8)
Lent is a time for us to enter into His suffering.
It is a time to consider the Cross, symbol of a violent death yet the door to eternal life with Jesus.
It is a time of dust and ashes.
I invite you to join me at jeannie-reflectionsfromgodsword.blogspot.com occasionally during this Season of Ashes as we journey to the Cross through the Word of God.
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