Ash Wednesday

"I have heard of You by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye sees You. Therefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes." Job 42:5

I have always found Ash Wednesday to be one of the more interesting and challenging days on the Christian calendar. Not only is this day the onset of the season of Lent - a period of fasting and renewal for the disciple of Christ to identify with Jesus' 40 days of fasting in the wilderness - but I also like to think of Lent as the one day when we Christians come clean and get real with the rest of the world.

Many Christians over the years have traditionally worn ashes on their forehead for all or part of this day as a public declaration for all to see of their brokenness and their utter need for a redeeming savior - a visual confession of sin. Ashes, throughout the scriptures have been used as a symbol of our mortality, repentance and grief. In short, they have been used as a means of shouting out our own sinfulness and fragility, especially in contrast to the holiness and eternal nature of our God.

Job, when his senses were wholly confronted by the holiness of God, was absolutely convicted and made aware of his own failings. His sins were laid bare before him. In contrast with God's perfect nature, Job's sinful nature (as righteous as it may have appeared to outside eyes) shouted out an affront to God. He became aware of how far he had fallen away from God's holy standard - therefore he abhorred (or despised) himself and repented in dust and ashes. The ashes were the outward sign of the inner brokenness for all to see.

To wear ashes today is to brazenly display our sinfulness - a declaration of personal abhorrence if you will. Though I think it's important to note that this is done for the purpose of pointing all who see them, ultimately to the holiness and beauty of God. His greatness and goodness is seen all the more clearer in our brokenness and weakness. It shouts to all our utter need for a savior. As Christ said to Paul in 2 Cor. 12:9, "My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness."

Like I said earlier, it's the one day of the year when we come clean to the rest of the world. Unfortunately, the rest of the year is predominantly spent telling them how right we are and how sinful they are. The funny thing is, that those outside the church already know that we are a bunch of sinners - the cry of hypocrite is commonly heard. To them the ashes are evident, and they only chuckle in bemusement at our own attempts to cover them up with some type self-righteous spiritual make-up. I think what the world needs to see is not our self-rightness, but rather our brokenness and the righteousness of Christ that joyfully shines in contrast.

I wonder what it would look like for Christians to wear ashes every day. Perhaps by having the same attitude of Paul, who responds to Christ with the declaration "therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecution, in distresses, for Christ's sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong."

Be God's, Scott