Ash Wednesday

According to the gospel, Jesus spent 40 days fasting in the desert before the beginning of his Ministry, during which he was greatly tempted by Satan.Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of this 40-day  period of prayer and fasting.

This story really starts when Jesus goes to see his cousin John the Baptist to be baptized. In Matthew 3:14 John is confussed and is trying to get Jesus to baptize him not the other way around. But Jesus says, 

“Let it be so now; it is proper for us to do this to fulfill all righteousness.” Then John consented.

And a voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.” Matthew 3:15 and 17

 The devil said to him, “If you are the Son of God, tell this stone to become bread.”  Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, left the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, where for forty days he was tempted by the devil. He ate nothing during those days, and at the end of them he was hungry. Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone.’” Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God and serve him only.’” The devil led him to Jerusalem and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. “If you are the Son of God,” he said, “throw yourself down from here. For it is written: The devil led him up to a high place and showed him in an instant all the kingdoms of the world. And he said to him, “I will give you all their authority and splendor; it has been given to me, and I can give it to anyone I want to. If you worship me, it will all be yours.” “‘He will command his angels concerning you to guard you carefully;they will lift you up in their hands,  Jesus answered, “It is said: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’”so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.’”When the devil had finished all this tempting, he left him until an opportune time. Luke 4:1-13

It is comforting to know that Jesus made his proclamation of faith by being baptized and then was tempted in many of the same ways we are. We too need to be reborn, and then we are tested.

 Starting today, Ash Wednesday, a lot of people will be "giving" something up for lent. This is supposed to prepare our hearts for Easter and all the significance and promise that that Sunday holds. 

However some people play it safe and do something that really isn't all that hard to give up. The whole point of this is to pass over something that has its claws caged around us and is holding us back from our time with our Abba. It's supposed to be something that truly makes you think and hurt. 

This year I'm doing two things, food not made in my house, and secular music. I decided on the food because I find myself getting little things that I don't really need(like ice cream shakes or twix) Or saying, you know what, the dollar menu at McD's is sounding good. 

And secular music, I find that most songs now a days have no relevance to what I need to be hearing. I'm not mad at my boyfriend, I don't have a broken heart, and I don't need to listen to all the innuendos and foul language. I feel like when I listen to the radio I'm just filling my head with things that have no place there, yet I can't stop listening. 

My prayer for everyone who is participating in Lent, is that they really pray about what they are giving up. This is not a fad. You won't get anything out of it if your heart is not in it.