I was raised Baptist so the concept of Ash Wednesday is pretty foreign to me. I always assumed that it had something to do with Easter and repentance but had never taken the time to recognize its significance. The only recollection I have of Ash Wednesday is when Patricia worked downtown in Savannah. One day I met her for lunch and I noticed all the people coming out of St John's Cathedral with ash crosses on their foreheads. I never gave it a second thought since, as a Baptist, we don't observe Ash Wednesday or Lent. We do, however, celebrate the dickens out of Easter.
I decided this morning to do a little more reading on the subject of Ash Wednesday. In Biblical times it was customary to smear ashes on yourself if you were truly in a state of repentance or mourning. I have been pondering this all morning. I know that there are very many sincere children of God who observe Ash Wednesday with all the repentance and mourning over their own sinful condition. The tradition is steaped in Biblical history. The custom of using ashes to symbolize sincere mourning was used as far back as Job. Job was disgusted with himself when he viewed the sinful wretch that he was. He took all the blame for his depraved condition and symbolized that by wearing sackcloth and sitting in ashes. Ash Wednesday is the start of the 40 days before Easter. The 40 days is to be spent in fasting or some sort. Some people go all out and only have bread and water much like Jesus did when he spent 40 days in the wilderness.
Just coming out of the Mardi Gras season with the climax being Fat Tuesday, the day before Ash Wednesday, its hard to take the majority seriously. I mean, you party like it 1999, then overnight, you are transformed into this mournful, repentant soul. I have a problem not seeing that as a little bit hypocritical.
I have decided that I will take this season seriously. I am not sure if God would have me fast, expecially since it is lunch time and I am as hungry as a fat kid in a candy store, but I feel like he wants me to do something to make this season meaningful.
I heard a song that was originally done by Christ for the Nations called Unto the Lamb. Like I always do, I analyze and research things to death. I ended up on the Christ for the Nations website. I watched a video about their worship. The guy speaking was talking about how when they come to worship they find many times that worship has already begun before they get on the stage to play. WOW! I thought, "I would love for that to happen". One Sunday, I would like to arrive at the First Church and find that everyone in the room is on their faces before God. No need to play, no need to sing a note. The Spirit of God has already called his people to worship. That would be something to see. I have found several times this week that it hasn't taken much to get me in a worshipful frame of mind. I have played, "Unto the Lamb" so many times on my iPod that it automatically goes to it when I turn it on. I cried over the Gateway Worship song "My Everything" so many times that I have almost shorted out the battery.
I think that the season of Lent should be filled with worship. Yeah, that's it. My goal is that when Easter arrives and I dress myself up in my best, that my heart will be in the presence of God. I hope that when I arrive, God is already there and His presence has so filled the temple that those who arrived before me, are already on their faces. The organ isn't playing, the PowerPoint isn't rolling. The only sounds are the sounds are the sounds of weeping as the people of God experience the presence of God. That would be something to see.
So, here's my fast. I will fast as Jesus did. Not literally, but spiritually. I don't think realistically that I could survive on bread and water. Maybe doughnuts and Diet Coke. Now that is a fast I could keep.
I don't really know how this will happen but I know the Holy Spirit will teach me.
Blessings
Allen
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