Return to the Lord Your God

Rend your heart
and not your garments.
Return to the Lord your God,
for he is gracious and compassionate,
slow to anger and abounding in love,
and he relents from sending calamity. (Joel 2:13 NIV)

A woman brought her 4-year-old grandson to his first Ash Wednesday service. They went to the the altar to have the ashes placed on there foreheads and the little boy listened as to person after person the pastor said, "You are but dust and to dust you shall return." On their way back to their seats the little boy loudly asked, "Nanna, what is 'butt dust?'"

I don't think the little guy is alone in misunderstanding Ash Wednesday or Lent in general. Recently I've read several discussions about Lent on Nondenominational Christian websites. Some people even seem angry that any Christian would WANT to observe Lent. A common statement was: "I am not under the law, but covered by grace," as if that explained why they thought Lent was a terrible, pagan practice.

Others said that the attitude and practices of Lent should be our attitude and practices all year long. And while I agree that we should strive to be better in our Christian walk all year, I don't think we need to do it with as solemn an attitude as is typically associated with Lent. And besides, we are human and are easily drawn to worldly things. As Lent turns to Easter and Easter turns to the carefree days of summer and then cycles back to the joy-filled season of the fall and winter holidays, we forget our promises we made in Lent.

And so we need to hear that ancient call, "Return to the Lord, your God!" We need to be reminded to get back to a regular practice of prayer, study and worship. We need to be reminded to show our love for others in practical ways. And we need to even be reminded that we are "butt dust."

And we start with this day, Ash Wednesday. Let this day be a day for fewer words all day long. Let it be a day for some stillness, for paying quiet attention to mystery, to beauty, to the sacred.

Father,
Turn our hearts to you. Amen

Joys: pancakes and fun fellowship; Lent; my sister Lisa on her birthday