Devotional - February 22, 2023

Genesis 2:7 Then the Lord God formed a man[a] from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being.

Today is Ash Wednesday. A time to take a moment and ponder the meaning of life. Ash Wednesday is the pause we take before entering into the season of Lent. The fact that we use ashes traces back to a few sources. In the Old Testament, the Israelites would dress in sackcloth and put ash on their heads to symbolize remorse for what they had done (Jonah 3: 5-9, Daniel 9:3, Matthew 11:21). It was an act of penance. It is a time to remember that from the dust God created us. God breathed life into us. Sometimes, we forget it all began with God and the dust of the earth. We get carried away with ourselves and think more of ourselves than is appropriate. There is no difference between me and you and anyone else. We all come and go the same way. The Hebrew word for humanity (adam) is very close to the Hebrew word for ground (adamah). It is a humbling thought, but a freeing idea. Paul hints at this when he "boasted" in his weakness (2 Cor 12:9). The more he realized his humanity, his finiteness, the less he obstructed God's moving in his life and ministry. Why we chafe at the idea of not being gods, but people (adam), I do not know. Hopefully, in time we come to see the benefits of our humanity. No, we are not infinite or omni-powerful, but through Christ, One who is, is always there for us. We have drawbacks. We make mistakes. Our lives change. Rather than trying to avoid or deny such things, we accept them in our lives and in the lives of others. And in doing so, our lives get better and we make better use of our time.

Pray with me.., Holy God, help us to appreciate the time we have on this earth. To appreciate our life and the lives of others. Bless our loved ones, bless them according to their needs and bless our church. Help us to be the people You call us to be, in Jesus name, Amen.

God's peace,

Pastor Brian