“At once the Spirit sent Him out into the desert, and He was in the desert forty days, being tempted by Satan.” – Mark 1:12
Today is Ash Wednesday and marks the first day of the Lenten season. It was first started in the early church to remind the believer of the sacrifice that Jesus made for us. The 40 days before Easter (46 with Sundays) commemorates the 40 days that Jesus fasted and prayed in the wilderness before starting His “official” ministry. Therefore, Christians are encouraged to change their lifestyle in some way during this time that will be a daily reminder of this great sacrifice. This can be giving something up (fasting) like a certain food or drink or a daily activity. It can also be adding something like a daily Bible reading, a special prayer time, a moment of silence. The important thing is that it is that it is daily and something that will turn our thoughts to Jesus and His great love for us.
It could be that you have never done this before. I would like to challenge you today to think of something that you could do starting today and, I believe, you will be blessed.
Ash Wednesday begins our Lenten season by reminding us of our mortality. The ashes on the forehead practiced by many churches are to remind us that we are created by God from the dust of the earth. “ashes to ashes and dust to dust” the Scripture says. Today read through Isaiah 40 as we begin our walk together. Allow the words to remind you of your mortality and your dependance on God. This will set the tone for this season of sacrifice.