Ash Wednesday

Matthew 6:1-6 and 16-21 -- 2 Corinthians 5:16-6:2 -- Psalm 51

In this gospel text, Jesus talks of three things we (as followers) do: Give Alms, Pray, and Fast.

Giving Alms: It seems we don't like to talk much about giving alms...giving anything really. We much prefer to get. In fact, I've never asked, What did you give for Christmas? And why is that? We live in a me first society. What's ours is ours. We earned it. We deserve to have it--whatever it is. But Jesus calls us out of that. Jesus frees us from that, and yet we seem to prefer what we know to the better life God has in mind for us.

Prayer: we pray. That's for certain. Yet, we often do all of the talking. And what do we talk about? Ourselves. Lord, help me. Help me win. Help me get an "A" on the test. Help me get the guy or girl. Or, maybe our prayers are more pious. Maybe we pray, Help me be a better Christian. Help me read my Bible more. Help me get up in time for Worship. Still, they are often all about me. God could answer our prayers, in fact, God does answer our prayers. But how often do we hear? How often do we find ourselves asking for the same things over and over? How often do we tell someone we'll pray for them--assuming we know what they need? Instead of asking, How can I pray for you? Can I pray for your right now? How often are we so concerned with how we'll sound, what we'll say, how we'll appear to someone else--that we don't answer God's call to pray? (even now, even in the moment) To pray...without ceasing.

Ahhh fasting. That is why Lent can be such a sacred time. We can be more intentional, more focused on fasting. Fasting from food, absolutely. But also fasting from other things that keep us away from God. Things that fill our minds and hearts. MySpace, Facebook, movies, television, sports, music, gossiping,sleeping, reading, etc, etc, etc. You name it, we can avoid God with it. But if we give it up (whatever it is) for an hour, a day, 40 days...How then, will we fill the void? How can we end our constant need to be entertained? I believe as simply and as impossibly by allowing God to love us. To love us...even when we don't feel worthy. To love us...even when we've been unlovely. The truth is, God loves us whether we allow it or not. We just need to spend our lives in God's presence enough to experience it. We have to stop running. We have to stop going back the life we understand for fear of the life God has for us. Let us, this Lent be mindful of the way we live, the way we love, the way we respond to the extravagant love and grace of Jesus Christ. Because...

ANYONE in Christ is a new creation. Anyone. Even me. Even you. Lent gives us the time and motivation to examine ourselves and our sins, but it also allows us to realize our new identity. AND, to recognize it in others.

"All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting the message of reconciliation to us." (bold added, 2 Corinthians 5:18-19) RECONCILE. Synonyms for reconcile are settle, resolve, merge, square, reunite, patch up. Merriam-Webster.com says that reconcile is to restore to friendship or harmony. So, through Christ, we've been made right with God. Harmony has been restored. We've merged, been reunited, our relationship has been patched up. GOOD NEWS, right? We can't stop there.

In Christ, God is bringing the whole WORLD to himself, and we've been given that ministry and that message! What are we doing with that ministry? What are we doing with that message? When was the last time someone you know experienced God's love through you? Did you even know God gave you this ministry? When was the last time you asked God about your calling? Your ministry? When was the last time you heard a Christian on the news telling the world about the love God has for the world? We have to stop condemning the world. God made the world and called it good. We're so busy telling people how to live--don't touch, don't drink, don't listen to that, don't wear that, don't watch that--that we've forgotten to show people the love that has so lavishly been poured out on us. We can talk about it all day long. We can say, God loves you. We can say Jesus died for you. We can say come to church with me. But until we live the love we've received, our words are empty.