“Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.”
Psalm 51:10
I’m a fan of Ash Wednesday. I love the music, the stillness, and the warmth of the church. I love the touch of the minister’s thumb as he draws the cross on my forehead. My heart sings with the Holy Spirit within me. Kneeling at the altar, I feel clean as Lent begins. Then, as I settle into my spot, pew number 10, left side, close to the aisle, “shazam,” a thought enters my muddled mind. Lent equals forty days. Forty days to get ready for Easter. A season of prayer, fasting, and a time to reflect on His suffering, death, and resurrection. It begins on Ash Wednesday and leads us all the way to Easter.
And suddenly the question sneaks up on me up on me, “How am I going to stay clean?” That’s when the pondering begins. Give up coffee? Nope. I’d rather walk in the desert and eat locusts with John the Baptist. Chocolate? Not a chance. That makes Jonah’s time in the belly of the whale sound like a vacation.
And then it comes to me, “I’m going to have coffee time with Jesus.”
I’m getting busy again, and it’s time for a reset, time for our visits. A chance to sit with Him, take a sip, and prayerfully listen for Him to call my name. In my mind, I can almost feel Jesus beside me, whispering, “Good choice.”
On Ash Wednesday, as I gazed at the cross, I kept my eyes on the prize, and I’ve managed to hold onto for nineteen whole days, so 21 is a snap.
I’ve noticed some churches now offer drive-through ashes. I guess it’s helpful if you can’t get out of your car. But for me, it would be like the time I ordered at Starbucks, pulled up to the window, paid and then drove away without my coffee. I paid, but I didn’t receive what I wanted most on that cold morning, my grande vanilla latte because I took my eyes off the prize.
Jesus paid for me. And the closer we get to Easter morning, the more that realization settles into my soul. Ash Wednesday is the beginning of Lent; Easter is the prize.
This year, when I got home from church, I didn’t want to wash the cross off my forehead. I slept in it because I didn’t want to be without it, not even as I snuggled into my pillow, dreaming of chocolate Easter bunnies and Peeps. That morning will come. But until then, I’m having a steaming cup of coffee with my Jesus.
And if you didn’t get ashes on your forehead this year, it’s not too late. Just touch your finger to the dirt and trace a cross on your forehead. Jesus won’t mind. He loves you just as you are.
As we reflect on these questions, let us take a moment to sit in stillness and listen for His gentle voice. Sometimes the answers may not come right away, but in the quiet, we often find the comfort and guidance we seek. Lent offers us a special invitation to draw closer, to open our hearts a little wider, and to rest in His presence.
Thoughts to Ponder:
1. Is Ash Wednesday important to you?
2. Did you get to have ashes placed on your forehead on Ash Wednesday? Did it change you?
3. What is your prize?