12 Yet even now, says the Lord,
return to me with all your heart,
with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning;
13 rend your hearts and not your clothing.
Return to the Lord, your God,
for he is gracious and merciful,
slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love,
and relents from punishing.
14 Who knows whether he will not turn and relent,
and leave a blessing behind him,
a grain offering and a drink offering
for the Lord, your God?-Joel 2:12-14
It's Ash Wednesday. Time to remember that we are dust and to dust we shall return. Time to enter the season of Lent when we are to “die to ourselves.” But how? Many of us do that by giving up something we enjoy or taking on a new discipline. Unfortunately some of us use these sacrifices and disciplines to do anything but die to ourselves. We brag about what we are giving up for Lent. We give up sweets in hope of losing a few pounds. Our ashes - in whatever form we choose to wear them - draw attention to ourselves rather than to God even when we don't intend them to.
Lent isn't a time to show others how spiritual you are. And it's not about telling others how spiritual they are not. It's simply about God and trying to experience how unfathomably holy God is. It is about resting fully in his love and grace and in the knowledge that he is God. It is about fully understanding how not-God we really are and giving up trying to be God.
These things don't happen because we put ashes on our head or skip a few meals or write a few devotions. It is a work done by the Holy Spirit that happens deep within our hearts and changes us forever. Don’t give up the sacrifices and disciplines, though. They are useful for helping the Holy Spirit work within us. They can help us focus on her guidance. Just don't depend on the outward work to change the inside by itself.
Holy and mighty God,
Rend our hearts this Lent that we may fully return to you. Amen.
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